Duty's End
by LotornoMiko
Summary: Tired of being abused by Zarkon, Lotor wants to run away from it all. And he's taking Allura along for the ride. Unfortunately the Drules of Doom have other plans. Can Allura heal Lotor's hurt without being burned in the process? L & A, K & OC, OC & OC
1. Chapter 1

Standard Disclaimer time! I do not own Lotor and Allura, or any of the characters from the show Voltron. That honor belongs to World Events Production. I do however own the characters of Ryder, Tesla, Vorlac, Mara and any other Drule that did not appear in the original series. I also make no money off of this story. It is done purely for entertainment purposes.

-Michelle

There was the crack of leather in the air, followed by the sound of leather meeting flesh. The sound was muted somewhat by the fact that the whip's target ran wet with blood. The skin was slick with it, the whip having laid it's mark countless times before. Old scars had been torn open, new ones earning their place on his back. Shame would come with those scars. Forever would he carry the marks of his failures.

At one time, he could have told the story behind each scar. He could have explained the price he had paid in earning them, the failures attained. But it's been years since the first whipping, and he's failed so often he can no longer keep track. But one thing is consistent, he's earned them all for failing his father. For failing to live up to the King's expectations. For not being man enough, Drule enough to finish the Arus invasion.

He doesn't think of the reason behind that failure. He doesn't want to see her face in this moment, when all his senses are dulled by pain. Her face is reserved for quieter moments, moments where he is free to think of her and smile.

The whip lands on his back again, and he nearly screams. Only the biting down of his teeth on his lips keeps back that sound. He knows if he was to scream now, the torture would worsen. His father would see it as another weakness in him, and that weakness would earn him another fifty lashings. He wondered if he could even survive twenty more, on top of the one hundred he's already received.

The taste of metal is in his mouth, the blood from his lip reminding him of copper. Even worse is the salt and rust scent of the blood, the air around him thick with it. It's making him sick, and he wonders if he'll die before he's let down from the chains. The chains are there to hold him up, and they groan in protest as he sags downward. There's not enough length in them to let his knees touch the floor. At best he can only manage an awkward bending.

There is a voice speaking to him, though talking is too mild a description for what it is doing. There is anger in that voice's snarl, the man struggling to keep from giving in to it as he shouts. But the words might as well be in an alien tongue. They've blurred together, indecipherable to him though he can gather the meaning behind them. Anger that he's failed, that he's disappointed his father, his empire's expectations once more.

Sweat drips into his eyes, and even down his torn open back. His hair is in clumps, bloodied and sticking to whatever skin it presses against. His own breath is ragged, the sound harsh and loud to his own ears. How much longer can he endure this? But he must, it's not his time to die. No matter what he's done, no matter the disappointments, it's never his time.

At last the voice gives a disgusted snort. That appears to be the signal for the torture to stop. But there is no mercy in the ceasing of the whip's crack, the damage already done to his back.

"Lotor..." He recognizes his name, as well as the disgust evident in the saying of it. "You are a disgrace. A disappointment, to me and to the people of this Empire!"

He knows the ritual that is to follow, Lotor nodding his head in agreement. He's trying to appease the voice, to keep it from angering further. Anything to keep it from ordering more pain and punishment upon him.

"How could you mess up such a simple plan?" The voice continued. "Everything was laid out for you...it should have been easy to execute...it all would have fallen into place if you had just stayed away from the princess!"

He doesn't bother answering that he couldn't. That it would have been easier to cut out his own heart than to stay away from Allura. She is everything to him, the one bright light that shines in the darkness that surrounds him. He would do anything for just a few moments more in her presence, allowing the warmth of her into him, in an attempt to seal back the cold he almost always feels.

Of course a few moments is all he ever has. She flees from him, and even if she had not, there were others to run interference. On both sides of the war, people determined to keep them apart. They don't understand his need for her. They don't see it is more than obsession. He sees salvation when he looks at her, for his soul, his peace of mind. He sees the future he might never have, bright and happy with her by his side.

When he thinks of her, he imagines the things he could have. A wife, children, a family that loves and accepts him. A family to give him the things his father denies him.

"Are you even listening to me?" The voice roars in anger, a hard slap landing on his cheek. He blinks, and his vision seems to clear long enough for him to focus on the man before him. It is his father, King Zarkon sneering at him, his eyes glittering with anger. His hand is raised, poised to land another slap on his son's face. Lotor nods, the movement slow, exaggerated.

"Yes, father..." He whispers around cracked lips.

It doesn't seem to appease him, the second slap lands. Lotor thinks he sees stars, so forceful was his father's blow. "No more of this, Lotor!" Zarkon growled. "You hear me? I'm sick of this obsession you have with the princess of Arus! She is NOTHING to you. She always will be nothing to you, and it's time you realize that!"

If he wasn't in so much pain, he'd have laughed. Allura of Arus was essential to him, he needed her to breathe, to feel, to live. If he gave up on her, it would be as though he was giving up on life itself.

He doesn't know what has shown on his face in that moment, but whatever it is, it angers his father. Zarkon gestures impatiently, and the soiled whip is placed in his out stretched hand. Lotor fights not to stiffen in fear, seeing the absolutely furious expression on his father's face.

"Worthless!" Zarkon rages, slashing the whip down his son's front. "You are absolutely worthless to me so long as you remain besotted with that human!" There is no art or expertise in the King's attack, he is no practiced hand at using the whip. Lotor fights not to wince, though he can't help but flinch back from the whip's strikes.

"How much longer?" Zarkon demands, the whip a frenzy of movement. He doesn't remain in front of Lotor, moving to his son's back to add to the marks there. "How much longer until you wake up and see, she is no good for you? She never was, your track records can attest to that! Your military career all but ruined by your obsession with this girl! We could have had that planet years ago, if not for your bumbling and insensible infatuation with it's princess!"

Defiance flares within him, Lotor fighting not to betray it's presence. He's determined to never give up on Allura, on the love he has for her, on the future he sees when he looks at her. To deny Allura, is to deny a part of himself. And that is something he will not do, no matter what his father does to him.

"What will it take, Lotor?" Zarkon asked. "What will it take for you to forget about her and restore to me the son I can be proud of?" Lotor had no answers to that, hissing when clawed fingers grabbed a handful of his hair. The hair is jerked, Lotor's head bowing back. "Do I have to beat this obsession out of you?" Zarkon demanded with a growl. "Do I have to leave you broken and battered before you will get over her? Do I have to KILL you to free our Empire from such a disgrace?"

He has to live. If only to get away. "Don't kill me father..." Lotor whispers, and Zarkon yanks harder on his hair. "Not yet...not until..."

"Until what?" Zarkon asks, tone suspicious.

Lotor has to concentrate, to focus on what he is saying. "Just give me one more chance..."

"I've given you a million chances!" Zarkon snapped in reminder. "You've failed each and every time where Arus and Allura is concerned."

"I won't fail. Not this time." Lotor whispered. "It will be different, I promise you." It had to be. Lotor felt certain he would not survive another one of Zarkon's whippings. His body was so weak, rendered that way from months of repeated abuse. Like clock work, every failed mission earning another beating, another whipping. His fathers hands on him, the Drule growing more violent with each passing week.

"I've heard you make similar claims a thousand times. Your promises mean nothing to me." Zarkon informed him coldly. Claws touch his bare throat, Lotor knowing it would be all too simple for his father to tear it open now. Even simpler would be to give in to the beckoning of death, but Lotor inwardly struggles, wanting to live to see, to meet with his love once more.

"I won't fail this time." Lotor speaks quickly, aware of the caressing of his father's claws on his skin. "Haggar and I have come up with a plan..."

"You can come up with a thousand of plans, and they still won't work so long as you chase after Allura!" growled Zarkon, the claws pressing harder against him. He then sighed, seeming pensive in the moment. "Lotor, where have we gone wrong?" It was a surprising question, as close to an admission of fault as the King would give. "I thought I'd raised you well...thought I taught you how to be a man, a Drule that anyone would be proud to call son."

He fought not to snort, bitter amusement filling him as he struggled against the memories of his childhood. Lotor would hate to see what Zarkon considered neglect, the prince carrying many emotional scars from the abuse done to him as a child. The claws touching his throat he was intimately familiar with, they had personally tore into him whenever he had displeased his father. His young age hadn't been a deterrent, Zarkon reasoning he was toughening up the boy.

"It was that girl..." Zarkon hissed, having tired of waiting for Lotor's answer. "She's what ruined you. She's turned you inside out, made you weak and incompetent...She is poison...and we need to flush the poison out of your system..."

The King would step back from his son, the claws leaving Lotor's throat. But the whip would resume it's frenzied actions, searing deep welts into his skin. The blood seemed to splatter everywhere, and his shirt hung in tatters on his frame. It wouldn't stop until the King was panting from exertion, his own breaths as heavy as his son's pained ones.

The chains rattled, someone was cutting him down from them. The manacles remained bound about his wrists, Lotor falling to the floor. He hit it first with his knees, and was unable to stay upright. Not without the chains support. He fell forward, and barely had the strength to roll onto his side. His back screamed in agony, Lotor laying in puddles of his own blood.

"Don't fail me again." Zarkon lashed out with his foot, boot kicking into Lotor's chest, forcing him onto his back. Lotor nearly screamed in response, his back flaring up in pain from the full weight of him. The dirt of the floor rubbed into his open wounds, Lotor's fingers curling into claws as he scrabbled to roll over once more. His father's footsteps echoed around him, the man leaving. But Lotor knew he wasn't through with him. Not by a long shot. As long as one of them still lived, this kind of treatment would continue.

His fingers flexed into fists, Lotor hating how helpless he felt. And not just in this moment. The past two years had been full of moments like this, Lotor feeling very much like he had reverted back to his childhood and the fears and torments that had colored it. He wanted to strike his father down dead, and even that he failed at. Zarkon always surrounded by guards, or Lotor restrained, the chains keeping him from attacking his own father. Beaten until he was in no condition to fight back, and left to nurse his wounds until the cycle repeated itself.

"I hate him." Lotor muttered under his breath. He didn't care who heard him speak, it should be obvious to anyone who looked at the prince that there was no love lost between father and son.

"One day..." He continued, staying huddled on his side with his eyes close. "One day it will be different..." He lay there, and began to dream. Of things he had never experienced first hand. Of fathers who loved their sons, who didn't beat their sons in response to disappointments. Of mothers who had lived, of a mother's love and protection. Of family, together and loving, not the broken fractures that remained after one's parent died.

Invariably his thoughts turned to Allura. And of the kind of life he wanted with her. A full one, with love and happiness, and everyone safe and protected. He imagined hearing her laugh, of hearing their children's' happy giggles. Of playing with them, silly, harmless games. Of tucking them in bed, then turning his attentions to his wife. He felt it would be so perfect, the ideal family, the ideal love. Why did that continue to elude him so? It made him frown, Lotor sighing as his body protested even breathing. He knew his dreams would never come true if he didn't work to achieve them. If he didn't reach out and take what he wanted. If he didn't steal Allura away, from everything she had ever known, and force an understanding upon her.

But to do that, he must first survive. Must first get off this dirty dungeon floor. He barely had the strength to roll from side to side, let alone sit up. His father might as well have left him to rot, for all the help he had offered his badly injured son.

Lotor let out a frustrated sound, staring at his hands. They were large and looked strong. And yet he was weak. Had been like this for months now, one beating after another coming so fast he never had time to heal properly. It was no wonder he was too weak to fight back against his father. When he had been a child, he had been too small to fight back. And now as a grown man, his father kept him weak in other ways.

A skitter of sound from behind him, Lotor groaning as he struggled to turn over in that direction. "No don't..." Urged a familiar voice, rife with concern. But Lotor was already moving, catching sight of the emerging figure that was cloaked in both fabric and shadows. The cloaked figure tsked at him, and Lotor imagined the frown that was surely on her face.

"Haggar." Lotor rasped, trying to shove up off the floor with his hands. The witch hurried to him, dropping a black satchel on the floor. She caught him in her arms, preventing him from flopping face down on the floor.

"Try to stay still while I see to the worse of it." She advised. She left him leaning against her, her arms around him, fingers reaching to pull apart the shirt's remains. A tsk followed the reveal of the red ruin of his back. "It's not as bad as it looks..."

"Liar..." grumbled out Lotor. He was resting his head on her shoulder, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep. But Haggar was moving, jostling him about as she pulled the satchel to her. Clean cloths emerged, the witch using them to soak up the blood that covered his back. One wound in particular kept on bleeding, forcing Haggar to apply pressure to it.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly. "The King...he forbids me to use my magic to heal you."

That was nothing new to Lotor. His father had forbidden the use of healing magics roughly six months ago. All because he thought the lessons the whippings were meant to instill in Lotor, were failing. Zarkon said Lotor would remember better if he bore the scars, if the pain lingered long enough to somehow get through to him. Lotor remembered every lesson, every whipping, but they hadn't been able to change his mind. Or his heart. He was determined to be with Allura, regardless of what the old man tried to do to dissuade him.

"Just do what you can..." Lotor said out loud. The witch finished trying to clean him of the blood, and set about to applying creams meant to stop infection from taking root.

"You may end up sick with fever anyway." Haggar muttered. "You've gotten dirt into your wounds."

"Not my fault..." Lotor told her, remembering how his father had pushed him down into the dirt. Haggar just tsked in response, the cream burning in a way that was different from his current pain. He hissed and dug his nails into her cloak, but this pain was easier to endure than that of the whip. "Are the preparations ready?"

Haggar took her time answering, fetching gauze and adhesive from her satchel. "Yes..." He almost relaxed then. Almost if not for his pain, and Haggar's next words. "Sire, are you sure? There's still time...time to change your mind about this..."

He managed a growl, which was impressive considering how bad he felt. "What are you saying? We've been planning this for months..."

"Yes, but...if you're father finds out..."

"He won't find out." Lotor interrupted. "Not until it's too late."

"Then what if you fail?" Haggar wanted to know. "You won't be able to survive many more whippings..."

"I won't fail..."

"How can you be sure?" Haggar asked.

He had no answer for her. Everything was riding on this next plan, and if even one thing went wrong, he'd meet with failure once again. Worse than that, he'd surely be back in this place, hanging from chains as the dungeon master had at his body with whips and knives.

"What about you?" Lotor asked instead. "Are you sure you still want to be a part of this?"

"I can't say I feel easy about what you're going to attempt to do." Haggar admitted. "Nor can I stand to stay back, helpless and watch you treated this way."

"Is that a yes then?" Lotor asked. She nodded, and he almost smiled. "You risk a lot for me, Haggar..."

"I know that. But I can't stand back and let your one chance at a life of happiness pass you by." She hesitated then, hands pressing the gauze into place on one of the slashes on his back. "This will make you happy?" He nodded. "Even with all that you will be giving up?"

"I will be gaining so much more than I will be losing." He was confidant then. What did a crown and an Empire mean to a life that knew nothing but pain and misery that came from associating with the throne? He'd gladly throw his birth right away, if it meant he could have the family he dreamt of so often. Dreams could become reality, Lotor was sure of it. Just as he was positive if you wanted something badly enough, you could take it and make it yours. He wanted the dream, he wanted Allura, more than he had ever wanted anything else in his life. And somehow, someway, by this time next week, he'd be well on his way to making the dream a reality.

To Be Continued...

Michelle


	2. Chapter 2

He was not so lucky as to escape the fever. It stole into him when he was at his most vulnerable, the whip marks on his back not yet having time to scar over. For days he lay sweating in his bed. Body damp from the fever, but shivering as though he had the chills. His clothes had to be changed constantly, growing wet in an instant from the heat his body was generating.

The experience of the fever was made all the worse by the pain of his back, Lotor unable to remain still. Tossing and turning, moving to the point some of his stitches pulled loose. One wound in particular bled, Haggar fetching a doctor to stitch it close. It would demand a repeat performance, and at one point they actually considered tying the prince to the bed in order to restrict the movements that tore at his stitches.

In the end, it was Haggar who kept them from binding Lotor. She had known it would have driven him mad to find his movements restricted so. But the witch had also known that something had to be done to keep him as still as possible. And so she had cloaked herself in illusion, conjuring up a memory of the past. Her brown robes were made to look like the kind of fine gown a lady of the Drule court would wear. Her hair turned a shade of yellow that rivaled the magnificence of Allura of Arus.

Lotor had been so far gone, he hadn't realized there was no way his mother could appear before him. He had quieted down as Haggar whispered a lullaby, one the witch had sung to the prince when he had been a young child. He held still for her hands that stroked through his hair, or used a cloth to wipe the sweat off his face. He watched her as she did this, eyes glassy and distant. The relieved smile on his face unsettled the witch, the prince far too happy with the illusion she offered him.

And yet she kept up the illusion, nursing Lotor through his fever. There was little else she could do, the King having forbidden the witch to make use of her healing magics where his son was concerned. She'd continue to place damp cloths on his brow, and feed him ice chips. Haggar would whisper to him, telling him of the plans he had made with her. How he had to survive to see them to fruition.

It was a lesson in frustration, the first two days of his fevered sickness. He barely responded to her words, Haggar fearing he was losing the fight to live. But on the third day, something changed. A determination was in his eyes. He no longer needed the illusion of his mother to calm him, and Lotor began to respond when spoken to. He was able to sit up and eat a meal, limited though the food selection was.

It was also near the end of the third day when the King finally deigned to visit his son. A grimace had been on his face as he looked Lotor over. There had been no remorse or regret for bringing his son to this state. Instead there was impatience, the King considering Lotor well enough to get out of bed. Haggar had tried to express her alarm, thinking it too soon. Both the King and the prince had dismissed her concerns, Lotor staggering to his feet. He agreed with the King that there was no time left, the plan had to be carried out.

That eagerness pleased the King, Zarkon nodding in approval. He had no idea his son was planning a betrayal, had no idea the prince was about to toss everything aside for love. For the hope of love, to give it and to receive it back.

Of course Haggar voiced concerns. She didn't think Lotor well enough for the mission. But he refused to be talked down, not when everything had been planned so carefully. His men were ready, friends and soldiers he had personally picked out. People that he trusted implicitly. They would not fail him in what he was about to do. They might have their doubts, might even think he had gone insane, but they would not betray him. They knew what the cost would be, what Zarkon would do to Lotor if he learned about the plans. Such was the friendship they felt towards the prince, that they didn't want to see him suffer any more pain at the King's hands.

They weren't the only ones to feel that way. But unlike his trusted allies, no one else was willing to do much to stop the King's abuse. Everyone in the castle knew what Zarkon did, what he was capable of doing. The fact that his son was not spared his mistreatment surprised no one. Some might even have approved, but they were a small handful. Nobles who had grown rich off the empire's successes, nobles who frowned upon the failures the Arus mission had caused.

If Lotor's plans went without hitch, he'd never have to see Zarkon or those self righteous nobles again. The thought had him smiling, even though days later his back still hurt with sudden movements. Aside from his back, he still didn't feel one hundred percent better. His head had a persistent throbbing, his body holding aches and pains that were familiar to the fever. Again Haggar tried to advise him to wait, the witch worrying the fever would return if he exerted himself too much.

But Lotor had waited too long, and been through too much to put off the plan. Or to be persuaded into letting someone else take the lead. And thus this was how he found himself inside planet Kirentya's embassy, walking the red carpet lined halls, and trying to look busy. Perhaps it would have been easier to move with a purpose if he hadn't felt so bone weary tired, Lotor pausing to lean against a wall every chance he got.

A chain was around his neck, the heavy jade jewel seeming to take on the heat of his skin. Lotor tried to keep from touching it out of a nervous need for reassurance. It was the same need that had him glancing in every window and mirror, looking at the changes to his appearance. His azure colored skin had been changed to a lightt caramel color, his long white hair, shorn short and colored black. His eyes had become almond shaped, a hazel brown that bore no resemblance to a feline's.

Even knowing of the change, Lotor still felt shock every time he saw a stranger looking back at him. And yet that stranger's face is what allowed him to walk the embassy's halls unhindered. And it was all thanks to Haggar's magic. That same magic that was inside the necklace's jade jewel. That same magic had enchanted many stones, over a hundred of them given out to capable Drule soldiers. These men and women of Doom wore the necklaces, taking on appearances of the guards and household staff of the Kirentya's embassy.

By this time, they had spread through out the building. Lotor couldn't even be sure if each person he passed wasn't one of his men in disguise. But he knew underneath the illusion, they were all heavily armed, even more so than was typical of the embassy's soldiers. They were prepared to attack, to kill indiscriminately at Lotor's orders. But until that order came, they would behave themselves.

Behind Lotor walked a woman, her appearance that of a plain faced maid. No one would suspect that it was a comely Drule female that followed him, a mercenary who had earned the prince's trust over a year ago. She was well versed in killing, but also in pretending. And she would need every last one of her skills for the performance she

was about to put on.

But first they had to get in place. Both his guard's uniform, and the woman's maid outfit allowed them free movement through the embassy. It was almost too easy. To the point Lotor's lips would have curled into a sneer if not for the fact that ease would allow him to accomplish his goal. A few minutes more, and his goal was in sight, Lotor's breath stopping short as he got his first glimpse of the princess of Arus.

She wasn't smiling, the situation too tense and serious for that kind of expression. She had however, changed out of her pilot's uniform, replacing it with a pink and white business suit. A sheaf full of papers were in her arms, and she glanced down constantly at them. Her brow actually furrowed with her worry, and she gave little nods to show she was listening to her companion. Lotor felt the familiar annoyance fill him at the sight of Captain Keith Akira, the man standing far too close to the princess for the prince's liking.

The Captain was just as serious faced as the princess was, his lips moving urgently. Occasionally he would point something out on the papers the princess held, causing her to take a second look at what was written there.

The Captain and Princess of Arus weren't the only one just outside the embassy's board room. There were other members of the Galaxy Alliance present here, and that included Prince Bandor. His sister was present, along with that former pilot, Sven. The three were in a huddle, looking over their own set of papers. Sven and the princess seemed especially argumentative, their voices loud whispers that Prince Bandor tried to shush.

But no one looked towards the Pollux representatives. They were all busy reading over the documents, discussing the findings with each other. This summit meeting had been called to discuss the threat of Doom, the empire having turned even more aggressive in the expanding of it's kingdom. Several worlds that were not yet a part of the Alliance were here to petition for aid, the representatives would have to decide how much and if any help they could afford to give.

His princess, Allura. was pushing to help any and all worlds that asked. Regardless of the cost. She was here to make a case that if they abandoned even one world to stand against the Empire, they were damning both the Alliance and the galaxy's freedom in the process. Many agreed with her, but the cost to help these new worlds was what was tying their hands. It left Allura visibly frustrated, to the point she had walked out of the board room the instant a break was called for.

Her captain followed her, his expression nearly a mirror of her own frustration. "Don't give up princess..." He was saying. "They just need time to look over the facts of your argument..."

"Some of those worlds don't have time for them to make a decision, good or bad!" Allura exclaimed. "They need action, and they need it now..." She sighed, and turned to look at the Captain. "It all comes down to money...who has it, and who doesn't..."

"Seems that way..." The Captain shrugged. Neither he nor the princess noticed the two disguised Drules that had slinked closer to the pair.

"It makes me think the Alliance is behaving no better than the Doom Empire." Allura told him, not bothering to lower her voice. "Worrying more about money than doing what is right..."

"Money is a necessary evil, princess." A new person had approached, Lotor recognizing the gray haired man as General Grants of the Galaxy Garrison. "Without it, we'd have no way to buy the weapons needed to fight this war. No way to pay the soldiers, and the relief aid workers we send to planets in need. Even food and medicine cost money, and right now we are stretched thin across the Galaxy and in finances. It's not a matter of not wanting to help these newcomers, but that we can't. We're already at our limit when it comes to helping the worlds that are a member of the Alliance..."

Allura didn't look happy to hear that. "Isn't there something we can do? You know if Doom is allowed to increase it's holdings, the profit it turns from these new worlds will only allow it to continue the attacks. To take new worlds, and enslave more people. By helping these new worlds, we help ourselves as well!"

"And where would the money come to fund the armies needed to patrol the planet's perimeters?" General Grants asked her. "Who would pay for the soldiers to defend those planets...Arus?" He made a short, derisive sound. "Arus can barely afford to take care of it's own." His next words had Allura color in anger and embarrassment. "It's been months since Arus has been able to pay the taxes expected of worlds that are members of the Alliance."

"We may not be able to pay with gold..." It was Keith who answered, the princess seeming too upset to speak in the moment. "But we make up for that in terms of service. How often has the Alliance and the Garrison called upon the Voltron Force to help them out? How many worlds have we kept free of Doom's tyranny?"

"Yes, we recognize your efforts." Nodded the General. "But maybe Doom wouldn't be such a problem if you allowed our scientists to study the robot. If we could find out Voltron's secrets, and mass produce copies of it..."

"And what would happen to Arus in the meantime?" demanded Allura. "You would leave us defenseless while you studied my father's robot!"

"If it was not for the Alliance, Voltron would never have been revived!" retorted Grants. "Don't forget the original members of the Voltron Force were all part of an Alliance sanctioned mission...The Captain and his team all members that were Garrison trained."

"That doesn't give you the right to think you can claim Arus' defender as your own!" Allura immediately snapped back. "Without Voltron, we have nothing...we don't even have the gold needed to pay the Alliance's membership tax."

"If you gave us Voltron, we'd be willing to overlook the issue of money." Grants told her. "In fact we might be willing to fund some of Arus' development..."

Allura looked insulted at that. "No thank you. I want no part of your blackmail and bribery."

"It's not either one of those things!" It was the General's turn to be insulted. "I am merely trying to get you to see the practical side of handing Voltron over to the Alliance...It's why we have gathered here is it not?"

"Funny. I thought we were called here to discuss the new worlds, and the Empire's plans for them." Allura's tone was frost laced, leaving the General to fluster in embarrassment. "This conversation is over with." She added, and turned away.

"Princess!"

"I need to cool my head Keith." Allura spoke without looking towards either man. "Don't worry. I won't be gone long." Keith and the General were left to watch as she stalked away, the captain trying to offer up feeble apologies for the princess' abrupt exit. Lotor and his mercenary didn't stick around to hear what was said between the two men, instead moving to stalk slowly after the princess.

This close to the board room, there was many guards present and again Lotor wondered which ones were his men. It would be quite a feat if they managed to kill the representatives present, many of them world leaders. But Lotor wasn't concerned with anyone but Allura, the prince following after her as she headed towards one of the side rooms.

The mercenary went in first, her voice loud and carrying out into the hall. "Greetings Princess Allura." There was a pause, but she addressed no other. That let Lotor know Allura was alone inside the room, and he fought not to smile. He reached for the handle of the door, noting that under his gloves, his hands were slick with sweat. Was that from nerves? He wasn't sure, but he opened the door all the same.

Allura had her back to the door, seated in one of the room's overstuffed arm chairs. The papers she had carried were tossed carelessly on the floor, the princess using her hands to hold up her head. Her shoulders seemed to shake, and she could be heard to be breathing deeply. The female mercenary, disguised as a maid, was surreptitiously dusting the table top nearest to Allura. She glanced Lotors' way, and nodded slowly. He nodded back, and let the door fall close with a click.

Allura lifted her head at the sound of the lock being engaged. "What's going on?" She demanded as she turned to look at Lotor. "Has something happened?"

"Nothing...yet." Lotor's answer made Allura frown, she didn't quite understand him. "Of course, that all depends on you..."

"On me? What...?" Her question went unvoiced, Allura rising from her seat. Her eyes were colored with suspicion, Allura studying Lotor. He tried to appear relaxed, but he was too tense. He was wound up with excitement and worry, knowing this was the key moment. The moment their new life together could begin. It was also the moment the plan could come unraveling apart, Lotor reaching behind his neck to unclasp the chain.

The instant the necklace hit the floor, the illusion shattered. Allura's eyes went wide with shock, her mouth dropping open as she inhaled to scream. The mercenary female's hand clamped tight over Allura's mouth, the Drule female whispering to her. "Do not scream your highness. Not if you don't want to be responsible for the deaths of every one inside the embassy."

Allura had already been in the midst of attempting to scream. She managed to stifle it down to a frightened whimper. Lotor nodded in approval, almost frowning when he noticed how the movement made him feel dizzy. He wasn't as recovered as he would have liked, and knew he had to hurry things along, and get himself and Allura out of here.

"Now...I'm sure you're aware of what's at stake here..." Lotor began, walking towards Allura. "So I'm trusting you not to scream." A casual shrug, back protesting that movement. "If you do, I can't be held responsible for what happens next..." His gesture had the mercenary hesitating.

"Are you sure, your highness?"

"I'm confidant Allura understands me." Lotor told her, and the mercenary sighed. But she let go of Allura, who immediately tore away from the woman's side. Her feet knocked over the pile of papers, they spilled every which way. Allura didn't even glance down, backing away from Lotor and the woman disguised as a maid.

"What are you doing here? No, forget that. How are you here! How is it possible to get past our sensors, to disguise yourself so thoroughly?"

"Magic, Allura. Pure and simple." He saw her eyes widen in realization, the princess breathing out Haggar's name. "Haggar has expended a great amount of energy for this plan. There is over a hundred of my soldiers in this embassy, all disguised as part of the staff. All waiting for my command to begin the attack." Allura paled at that, and Lotor smiled. "Of course, no one need to die this day...and all you have to do is be a good girl, and do what I say..."

Allura closed her eyes briefly, shaking from in nervous fright. She nodded her head while her eyes were still closed, then looked at him. "All right, I'll do it. I'll do what you say..."

"Then first things first..." The mercenary reached towards her neck, pulling the chain free. "Put this on." Lotor ordered, watching as the maid turned into a pretty black haired female, with lavender colored skin. She handed the necklace to Allura, the princess staring down at the jade jewel. Already the magic was taking hold, forcing the illusion of a plain face maid onto Allura.

"You won't get away with this." Allura was reluctant, fingers fumbling with the chain's clasp. "Keith and the others will notice when I don't come back."

"They'll never even know you're gone." Lotor told her, reaching into his pocket. Another necklace was removed, this one with an opal instead of a jade. It had been wrapped in a velvet cloth, the spell being subdued so long as it didn't make contact with anyone's skin. "Mara, catch!"

The Drule female caught the wrapped bundle. The instant the necklace was free, she took on the appearance of Allura. The princess gasped, staring in disbelief at her double. A double save for her clothing, which was a problem taken care of quick enough.

"Undress Allura. You're going to change clothing with Mara." Lotor told her. The maid's face flushed, Allura not liking the thought of disrobing even with an illusion covering her real body. "Do hurry up, or I will do it for you." He let his impatience show in his voice. And that was what got Allura moving. She and Mara both hurried to exchange outfits, Allura's suit for Mara's maid dress.

Lotor watched as they changed, trying to remain unaffected at the sight of the illusion Allura's disrobing. "This will never work." Allura told them. "Even if she looks like me, she won't...I mean there are things, mannerisms that she won't know about. Things that will be betray her as false!"

"That's fine." Lotor said. "She just needs to keep them believing long enough for us to get off planet." He kept quiet that for the last three months, Mara's sole task had been to study everything about Allura. If it was on record, than the mercenary knew about it. And with that knowledge she was prepared to act, to keep this sham going for as long as possible.

Allura turned towards her twin, Mara. "You'll be imprisoned or worse when they discover you. This is too big a risk to take..."

"I'll decide what is and isn't too big a risk for my prince." Mara answered. She touched her hair, which was done up in Allura's prudish bun. "How do I look?" She asked Lotor.

"Beautiful." he answered. "But then Allura always looks beautiful to me." He fetched his jade necklace from the floor, securing it around his neck. Mara nodded her approval when the dark haired illusion covered him. He looked at Allura, whose face was a clear give away of her distress. "Remember Allura...countless lives depend on your performance..."

The reminder had her nodding, Allura stepping forward towards him. Lotor wanted to take her arm, but knew it would be suspicious if a guard was seen escorting a maid about like that. He whispered another reminder to her, ordering her to stay by his side the instant they stepped out of the room. Allura could only nod, her expression tightlipped and resigned.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Falynn07, thanks me too! Even if he's delusional half the time! XD But so far, aside from upsetting Allura with his kidnapping and plans for a future together, he's a much nicer Lotor than say Lusting Effects Lotor turned out to be! XD

Amanda, thank you! The way I imagine it for this story, it's sorta like Porcelain Dreams only Zarkon continued beating Lotor once Lotor was a full grown adult. Of course, he needs help to do that, and keeps Lotor in a weakened state so our fave blue skinned prince can't fight back effectively. Poor Lotor! T_T


	3. Chapter 3

Following Lotor out of the side room, there was a moment when Allura hesitated. A moment where she did nothing more than stare uncertainly at his back. With the illusion's short shorn hair, she could see the chain of the jade's necklace. Her fingers itched to reach towards it, to tear it and the illusion apart. She actually weighed the pros and cons of such an action, and those that would follow such an unveiling. She wondered if Lotor would be able to move fast enough to kill more than a handful of the embassy's soldiers.

But even a handful of deaths would be unacceptable to Allura. And even worse was his threat that over a hundred Drules lay in wait, bejeweled and cloaked in illusion. All just waiting for the chance to kill as many people as they could get near. The loss of so much life was unthinkable to Allura, especially if she could prevent it. And yet she was scared, her heart hammering in her chest.

The fear came from the man standing in front of her, looking so innocent and human in his caramel colored disguise. But no illusion could fool her now that she knew the truth, and every instinct in Allura was demanding that she scream, that she run at the first available opportunity. The fear urged her to be selfish, to damn others to their deaths. But Allura knew she wouldn't, not even if Lotor were to turn on her now with rapacious intent. There was simply no choice, she couldn't sacrifice so many for her own neck.

Lotor seemed to sense the hesitation within her. He stood relaxed, looking down one end of the hall, then the other. Allura fought not to chew at her bottom lip, knowing her face could not betray her upset. Not here, not now. Not when someone might inquire as to her upset. But she couldn't muster up a happy smile. At best she could remain only impassive, struggling to keep her eyes blank of emotion.

He glanced at her, those eyes that were currently hazel colored, looking warm with emotion. His lips smiled, leaving Allura to wonder if she imagined how similar this smirk looked to his own. Her stomach seemed to do flip flops, her nerves tightening in response. When he raised his hand towards her cheek, she flinched back with a gasp. Abruptly his smile died, hand dropping downwards. He did not try to touch her again, instead curtly ordering her to follow him.

Allura knew she had no choice but to follow him. Her legs were shaky as she forced them to move. Allura actually stumbled forward, but quickly righted herself when Lotor attempted to help her. He frowned again, waiting for her to fall into step with him. He kept at a stroll's leisurely pace, seeming unhurried. She walked with him, eyes darting this way and that, her instincts still urging her to run.

The matter was compounded by the fact the man besides her held the cocky swagger Allura had come to associate with the Prince of Doom. She wondered how no one seemed to have noticed it, how they could all blithely continue on in the face of such danger. Her gaze fell on every guard they passed, every staff member, no matter the job. She wondered just who she was looking at, the Drule or the real person? But there was no way to tell, nothing betraying the Drules beneath the illusion.

Allura thought of the size of the embassy, knowing that between guards and the staff, there was over three hundred people on the premises. And that was before counting the added security needed for the summit meeting. There was over a dozen world leaders and their representatives gathered here. Enough world powers for the Doom Empire to wreak havoc if something were to happen to those leaders. She felt ill at the thought, realizing in one fell swoop, the Doom Empire could wipe out the ruling class of over a dozen worlds. It would thrust those worlds into chaos, leaving them easy pickings for the Empire.

And yet she could do nothing. She couldn't scream, she couldn't run. Anything she tried to do would just put things into motion all the sooner. Was it better to go with Lotor, and let things play out here? All on the chance that someone, perhaps Keith, would notice something was amiss, and put a stop to Doom's plan before the embassy turned into a blood bath?

Her shoulder sagged with the realization that that hope was the only thing she had left to her at the moment. She had no bargaining chips, at best Allura was only delaying the killing. But every second delayed, meant some had a chance of noticing what was wrong. She hoped the woman impersonating her, this Mara, would slip up and slip up fast. Keith would surely notice anything off about her, and maybe just maybe it was the noticing that would save everyone.

Her eyes wanted to send pleading looks towards everyone they passed. But Allura couldn't even be sure that the people looking at her was friend or foe. It left her wound up tight, her voice ready to emerge on a hysterical note. She forced it out as a whisper, but it couldn't hide the fear she felt.

"Where are we going?"

Lotor didn't stop. Nor did he look at her. He was too busy trying to recall the route to the servant's exit. He had thought he had it memorized, but the halls all looked alike to him. Same colors, same patterns, same number of doors and windows. He fought not to show his impatience, noticing he was sweating more and more. As though he was growing hotter with every passing minute.

It didn't help that Allura was so near to him, her scent overwhelming him. It left him disorientated, and hard pressed to concentrate, Lotor wanting nothing more than to step into her and breath deeply of her hair. His nostrils flared with that desire, but he controlled himself. But only because it would have drawn too much attention to have a guard suddenly accosting a maid for a whiff of her hair.

Soon. His mind whispered to him. Soon he would take her away from this place. And then he could do all he wanted, starting with sniffing every strand of her hair. But first he had to remember, to find the servant's exit that would lead them to a waiting cruiser. Once inside, it would be a short trip to the city's space port. And then, onboard his ship, he might finally be able to relax.

"Where are we going?" Allura tried again, her own voice quivering with her fear. It wasn't eased by his answer, Lotor tossing a gruff word to her.

"Away."

"Away?" She echoed with a frown. "Away where...? To Doom?" Her fear didn't make her so far gone as to not notice the way he hesitated. That was interesting, Allura begginning to harbor hope that it wasn't that God forsaken planet he intended to take her to. But as interesting as that was, it was also troubling, Allura realizing if he didn't take her to the obvious place how would Keith and the other members of the Voltron Force find her? She began to despair all over again, wondering how long she would remain this man's prisoner.

_~You have to be strong.~ _She told herself. Allura wished she could feel as confidant as she sounded, her whole body trembling. Allura would feel better if she could have left some clue behind, but there had been no time. Nor did she know where they were going, Lotor remaining tightlipped on the subject.

Lotor was this close to growling in frustration. He felt completely turned around. Why did these halls have to be so similar in design? He wasn't even sure they hadn't been walking in circles for the past few minutes! Were they any farther from the board room then when they had started? But he was beyond asking for help, not wanting to call any further attention to himself and Allura.

They'd continue to walk around for what had to be another thirty minutes at least. Finally a break in his favor, a pair of chatting maids wheeling a cart pass. It's dirty plates and mugs signaled a return to the kitchens for a thorough washing. Lotor knew if he got to the embassy kitchens, he'd be able to find his way out of this maze. The maids were obvious to the fact Lotor and Allura were following them, the pair continuing their gossip.

Before they could enter the kitchen, Lotor had Allura veer off to the right. A few of the servants looked their way, but no one called out to question them. Lotor wouldn't put it past them to assume this was a clandestine meeting between guard and maid. He was almost tempted to feed into their assumptions, to steal touches and kisses from Allura. But he was anything if not single minded in his focus. Lotor knew pleasure could come later, he first had to secure the princess. And that involved guiding her out the servant's exit as surreptitiously as possible.

He couldn't relax, not even as he pulled open the door. The exit led to into an alleyway, one of many that made up the twists and the turns of the city capital of planet Kirentya. Allura paused before the threshold of the door. She must have known there was no going back once she stepped through it. She actually turned to look over her shoulder, and then Lotor was blocking her view of the corridor that led into the kitchen. With an urging hand on the small of her back, he guided her forward.

She seemed to sigh, but offered no resistance as she stepped through the doorway. Lotor almost smiled, his victory almost apparent. Even if Allura was to run, there was nowhere to go save for the end of this alleyway. And waiting positioned there was the cruiser, a near nondescript vehicle that had no noticeable markings on it. It was plain in it's gray color, and it's identifying numbers had been sawed off.

The driver, another Drule cloaked in illusion, was outside. As Allura approached, he looked her over, eyebrows raised. "Mara?" He asked, and then Lotor stepped out into the light.

"Guess again."

"Ah..." A smile from the driver. "You got her." He straightened, and walked over to the rear door of the cruiser. It was unlocked, and pulled open without even a protesting groan. "Well, let's get going then. The sooner we're gone from this place, the better."

"Lotor..." Allura had paused before the cruiser, her eyes taking on a pleading look. "Stop this...please..."

"There's nothing to stop." He answered her tonelessly. Her frustration was tangible, Allura blinking owlishly. It was an effort to keep her tears at bay, and Lotor found himself moving to touch her face. Again she flinched which made his jaw clench in response. "You won't always fear my touch." He told her. Lotor wondered who he was trying to reassure, her or himself.

"Please...I..I'm not above begging..." Allura said. "Just let me go...just walk away..."

Did she not know what it would cost him to do as she asked? It went beyond the tortures he would suffer at his father's hands. His heart would break if he left now without her. He let the refusal fill his eyes, and she let out a sound that was very much a sob.

"Damn you." She whispered, turning away from him. But she didn't try to bolt, instead climbing into the cruiser's back. Lotor felt confusion in the moment. This was a time when he should have been feeling exultation. He had finally caught her, and nothing in the heavens or the earths would stop him from keeping her. And yet with one phrase, she had nearly undone him, Lotor feeling pain in his chest.

It was a pain that kept him from moving, Lotor staring into the cruiser. Allura had crawled over to the other end, and was purposefully keeping from looking his way. She was rigid with her displeasure. Lotor had to remind himself it wouldn't always be like this, that once Allura got over her fear of him, she would come to love him. To be happy with him. To want the same things from him that he wanted from her.

"If you're going to do this..." The driver began, drawing Lotor's attention to him. "Then you better do it fast. Waiting won't make it any easier."

"You're right." Nodded Lotor, but he couldn't even muster up a smile. He was too busy thinking of how to calm Allura, to soothe and appease her anger and her hurt. With a sigh that spoke of how just how formidable he thought the appointed task was, Lotor slid into the cruiser. The driver shut the door behind him, then hurried to get into the front seat. Lotor paid him no mind, a dividing partition raising up to give him and Allura some much needed privacy.

He didn't immediately press in on her, keeping what he thought was a respectable distance from her. She didn't acknowledge him, staying huddled by the window. Lotor knew the view couldn't be as fascinating as she pretended it to be. It was all side streets they traveled on, the view nothing but houses for the miles yet to come. "Allura..." It felt good to speak her name, felt good to stop pretending she was someone that she was not. "Allura...look at me."

He reached out with his hand, touching her shoulder. She immediately twisted, turning a stony gaze on him. It was a cold look she gave him, one leeched of all warmth and feeling. "You will get nothing from me." She announced. Her voice was more spirited than her expression, Allura haughty.

"It's a pity then..." Lotor said, trying not let his voice sound too harsh. "Because I will settle for nothing less than your everything."

The maid's face paled, Allura blinking rapidly. "Ev...everything?" She seemed stunned by the word, and even more shaken when he gave her a stiff nod. "You won't have it!" She decided at last. "The only thing I will give you is my anger and my hate...!"

"I'm prepared to accept that too." Lotor said to Allura's surprise. "But Allura, you must realize. Eventually the time will come when those are not enough. For me, or for you. You will give, and I will take."

She tried not to shiver at those words. He sounded as though he was both making a promise and a threat. She wondered which would make it more fearsome. Allura glared at Lotor, feeling her eyes were growing wet but not quite dripping tears. She fought not to give in to them, to not give him the satisfaction of becoming just another caterwauling female before him.

_~Never let him see you are frightened.~ _She chanted in her mind. _~Never let him think you are weak.~ _But it was difficult to maintain her composure, especially with Lotor staring steadily at her. He looked expectant, as though he couldn't wait for her surrender. She blew out a breath, and then spoke in a level tone. "Kidnapping is a capital offense on many planets."

"Yes, it is." He agreed. "But then most of what I have done is criminal in the eyes of the Alliance." And what was one more crime, when he stood poised to get everything he had ever yearned for? He let that yearning fill his eyes, let it translate into his touch as he reached for her. But again he was thwarted, Allura glaring at him.

"And what of the people in the embassy? Do you intend to have your men slaughter each and every one of them?"

He wasn't taken aback, having expected her to be concerned about Doom's plans. Lotor gave a causal shrug, trying to appear uncaring. "It is out of my hands..."

"You can stop this!" protested Allura.

"I cannot." She made a sound of frustration, not understanding. "What happens now in that embassy, for good or for bad, no longer involves me. Or you." He added.

"How can you say that? Of course it involves us...it's your men...they're waiting for your command..."

"They're waiting for a command...but who will give it, I cannot say."

Allura frowned at that. "You're talking so cryptically. Why?" Her frown deepened at his smile, no tangible answers coming forthwith. "I don't understand you." She grumbled, then huffed indignant at his answer.

"That's fine. Understanding will come in time." She knew what the implication was. That together they would have all the time in the world to reach that understanding. Allura wondered how she could escape that fate, wondered if they were far enough from the embassy for it to be safe for her to attempt an escape. But she was also sure Lotor would have some long distance way of communicating his orders to his men. She settled back with a sigh, her attention riveted on the window.

He let her have a few moments to her thoughts, Lotor staring at her with unwavering intensity. It unsettled her to be the focus of a man, any man's attention. Let alone the prince of Doom, whose rumored depravity knew no bounds. She harbored no illusions as to what he would attempt to do to her once they reached their destination. Allura could only pray that Keith and the other members of her team would find her before she was victimized too badly.

She fought not to shake even harder, unaware that Lotor had noticed her every tremble from the start. He knew of her fear, knew what she expected of him. He didn't know if he could reassure her, if he could promise to behave himself until she was ready. It was difficult to control himself, his every instinct goading him onwards, telling him to touch her. To hold her and never let her go. Not even the maid's illusion could dissuade his interest in Allura. What form she wore was inconsequential, it was the person she was beneath the illusion that mattered.

Bits of her were taking hold of the illusion, most telling were her eyes. They ran the gamut of Allura's feelings, stone cold one moment, fiery in defiance the next. And of course there was her scent. The illusion hadn't been able to hide or erase it. She smelled like flowers, like lilacs and lilies. Lotor remembered the first time he had smelled her, how he had gone crazy trying to identify the scents associated with her.

It would take time, flowers being brought to him that were identical to the ones Allura grew in her garden. He'd carefully sniff each and every one until he found the ones that reminded him of the princess of Arus. It had made him feel better to know this about her, even if his actions made his father think him half deranged. Lotor quickly squashed down the memories trying to come to the surface. Memories that whispered of what had happened once Zarkon got over his shock of the flowers.

It would help if he had something pleasant to distract himself with. Lotor shifted forward those final inches to Allura, pressing his body against hers. She immediately stiffened, but did not turn to face him. Not even when he began to touch her hair, his gloved fingers seeking out the pins that held her hair up in it's prudish bun. Allura whispered a curt word, bidding him to stop. He ignored her, unraveling her bun into chaos.

The illusion extended to her hair, making it look a dull dishwater gray. But it couldn't hide the silken softness, Lotor pulling off one glove to touch her hair directly. Allura's breath seemed to rasp louder out of her, the girl tolerating his touches but barely. He couldn't let her displeasure ruin the enjoyment he felt, Lotor bending his face towards her hair. The smell was stronger near her scalp, Lotor knowing she enjoyed a shampoo that was made from the crushed flowers of her garden.

He smelled her scent to his heart's content, and felt a peace that had long since eluded him. This was true paradise, to sit here with the woman he loved, and enjoy such a simple pleasure. A pleasure many would take for granted. He sighed, and began rubbing his cheek against her hair, marveling at the softness.

Allura tried to shift away when Lotor began sniffing at her hair. But there was little room to escape. The prince had her pinned in between him and the window. His hands were finger deep in her hair, stroking in a manner that was all too pleasant. Allura didn't want to like anything Lotor did, especially not the strangeness of having a Drule smell her hair. Her dislike was only lessened by the fact that sniffing at her hair was less offensive than anything else she had expected him to do.

She told herself to let him have this moment. That she could endure worse things than a little hair play. But she would rather not find out how much worse things could get for her, Allura trying to keep her mind from running wild. Especially when he let go of her hair to place his hands on her shoulders. She could feel the heat of his ungloved hand, burning through the thin fabric of the maid's uniform. She wondered why he ran so hot, and then a new concern took her as Lotor pressed a kiss into the nape of Allura's neck.

She couldn't help it, she made a hiss of sound. She shrugged her shoulders in an awkward attempt to dislodge his hands. Lotor merely smoothed them down the length of her arms, the caress bringing up goose bumps beneath her sleeves. Any touch was unwelcome, Allura fearing where his hands would land next. She cared not for how gentle those hands were in regard to her, Allura knowing they were capable of violent things. She might almost prefer his violence to this kind deception, Allura fearful of Lotor in more ways than one.

But he didn't turn savage or impatient though he did keep on touching her. His hands covered hers, Lotor pressing his fingers in between the spaces of hers. It was like this that he brought the arm nearest to him up, her hand being raised to his lips. He kissed her fingertips, and though she wanted to remain completely impassive, Allura turned to glance over her shoulder at him.

What she saw unsettled her. Lotor looked completely happy, content with such a small gesture of affection. He actually smiled when she met his eyes, and Allura let out an indignant hmph. She hurriedly turned back to the window, pretending to ignore him completely. But it wasn't easy to dismiss him, especially not when he held her hands in his.

She had expected many things of the Prince of Doom. And in some ways Lotor was living up to her assumptions. But in other ways, he was different, unsettling. This gentleness he currently exhibited towards her was unnerving. In more ways than one. And all because she wasn't prepared for it. And without preparation, she wasn't sure she would know how to fight against it or him. It was almost enough to make Allura hope for the real demon of Doom to emerge before her, regardless of the cost Lotor's true nature would have on her.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Falynn07, aw thanks! Happy to spoil! Love having appreciative readers!


	4. Chapter 4

The journey to the city's space port took longer than anticipated. And all because of the snarl of traffic they had hit, when the cruiser had been forced to abandon the side roads. There had been no helping it, the space port wasn't accessible from anything but the main road leading into it. Unfortunately for them, they had not only had to deal with a roadside accident but also tourists. People were flocking to the city, and not just from the rest of the planet. They came from other worlds, eager to see the legendary robot Voltron, and it's pilots.

It was a shame the capital only had one active space port. That port, sprawling in size, was packed tight with the arriving ships. That included the ships that had brought the world leaders here to Kirentya. And among those ships, was the five lions of Arus. People pushed to get close enough to take pictures of the lions, and three of the five pilots were present to answer questions and sign autographs.

No one thought to pay any mind to the private class yacht and it's three ship escort. It stood as just another pleasure vessel, some moderately rich boy's latest acquisition. There was no markings to hint it had any ties to Doom. Lotor had been careful to acquire ships that if traced, would lead back to an Alliance protected world. Not that he expected anyone to suspect any connections these ships would have to his disappearance.

The thought of disappearing without a trace made Lotor smile, the prince relaxing against the soft leather of the cruiser's seats. Despite his earlier confusion in navigating the embassy's halls, along with the delays the unexpected traffic had caused, things were proceeding relatively smoothly. What had seemed the most difficult of tasks, acquiring Allura, had been accomplished with an ease that astounded him. But the proof of her capture was before him, currently nestled against him albeit reluctantly.

He rubbed his chin over the top of Allura's head, trying not to tighten his arms' hold any further around her. Already his embrace was possessive, Lotor having forced the princess to seat herself on his lap. Her back was pressed against his chest, Allura unable to relax. She gripped his wrists as though that could stop his hands from straying. For now he let her harbor that illusion, Lotor content to just hold her.

They hadn't done much talking in the time it took to draw near to the space port. Allura had been unwilling to break the silence once she realized Lotor was not forthcoming with any answers to her many questions. He seemed determined to keep her in the dark about just where they were going, and what was to happen next. Even her questions about the embassy were deflected, Lotor insisting he didn't know what would happen there.

She worried though. Worried for the people inside the embassy, and worried for herself. Her stomach seemed to roll, and tumble, her fear unsettling her. It didn't help matters when Lotor had insisted she sit before him, locked in his tight embrace. His arms felt like steel cables, that were wound tight around her. Every few minutes he would do something, such as rub his cheek or his chin against her hair. Or bring his lips to her ear, and gently trace the curve of it with his mouth. She especially didn't like when he planted a kiss on her shoulder, though it was nowhere near as shiver inducing as the trick with her ear.

She found herself wriggling, rolling her shoulders in an attempt to shrug off his kisses. Or jerking her head away from his lips' gentle teasing. Allura worried he was getting bolder with each touch, and it made her wonder how much longer before he tired of this game and full out assaulted her. She couldn't know that Lotor was feeling a strong contentment in the act of stealing innocent touches. Allura just knew that the more he relaxed, the stiffer she became in response.

To Lotor, this holding, this touching, was accomplishing several things. The first was making him ridiculously happy, the emotion filling him like it had never before. The second thing, which was just as important as the first, was helping to acclimatize Allura to his touch. It was Lotor's hope that she would come to realize being touched by him really wasn't that bad. That she had nothing to fear, and maybe, just maybe, she would come to accept that there could be pleasure found in being touched.

It didn't mean his baser urges weren't trying to spiral out of control. He was keenly aware of her, of the hitch in her breathing. Of the way she held herself, so stiff and rigid in contrast to his bonelessness. He liked the weight of her on his lap, her round bottom perched over his cock. It was a pity she held herself so still, he would have enjoyed more of her wiggling. But then he immediately counteracted that thought with a no, recalling how good it had felt when she had tried to shrug off his kisses. There was danger in feeling too good, in wanting her that badly. The desire would make him forget caution, make him lose control. No, if they both weren't careful, he'd say to hell with all his plans, and take her right here in the back-seat of the cruiser.

But Allura deserved better. She deserved to be in their home, to be safe and secure in the haven he had picked out for them. He longed to see her laid out in their bed, half undressed and waiting for him. She'd burn, eyes yearning as Allura longed for Lotor to fill her. Somedays he'd make her wait, tease her mercilessly to the point she'd almost go mad from desire. Other days he'd swiftly take her, sinking into her pliant flesh. Whichever way, it would be good between them. Allura being loved and loving in return.

He wanted that dream to become reality. Wanted it now but understood now was not the time. They still had a long way to go, their journey not even halfway done. Better to get to their destination. Better to make sure she was secure in their home first. Once there, away from all concerns and troubles, they could begin anew. Only then would he be able to relax completely. And with that relaxation, he'd be able to savor her and the love he wanted to grow between them.

Soon. Did he whisper that word out loud? Either way Allura did not react, gazing out the rear window. He knew she was troubled, and it was unfortunate but out of his hands. The situation that would play out at the embassy, it would fall under the command of the new prince of Doom. Lotor hoped Haggar had chosen well his replacement. He wondered how long it would take his father to notice something was off with the replacement. Of if his father even cared enough to notice any strangeness. Lotor supposed it didn't matter, so long as the replacement lasted long enough for Lotor and Allura to vanish completely.

The main terminal of the space port was within reach, the cruiser slowing down. Outside the building, local cab cruisers jostled for customers and refused to move aside to make space for anyone. There were people outside the building, some loitering, some hailing cabs. Others were staring at their flight plans, frowns on their faces. One woman in particular stood out, pacing in agitation. She wouldn't relax until she noticed the cruiser, and then the woman was hurrying over to it.

The locks on the cruiser doors clicked open. Lotor made sure to tighten his hold on Allura. He didn't think she would bolt, but he'd be a fool to risk it. The rear door of the cruiser pulled open, the woman sliding into the back. "I thought you would never show up!" She exclaimed, not waiting for the door to slam shut before she was withdrawing papers out of a slim briefcase.

"I've gone ahead and had security process your traveling papers." She shuffled through the documents, and Lotor caught sight of his fake id, the picture showing off his current caramel colored disguise. Another id was produced, this one showing the maid Allura was disguised as. They were otherwise unmarked, needing one final check before they would be allowed to board their ship.

"Thank you Tesla." Lotor relaxed his grip on Allura, reaching forward with one hand to take the papers from the woman's hands. He began paging through them, eyes critical as he made sure everything was in order. "You've filed a fake fight plan?"

Tesla nodded. "Of course. If anyone bothers to check the records of all departing ships at this time, they will not find anything amiss. The fake flight plan lists the planet Barubia as your ultimate destination. It's an Alliance based world, so no one should even think twice to see it's name listed. Why there are even some Barubians on the planet, ready to gawk and gape at Volton and it's pilots." She smirked then. "The fools don't even know the danger that is so close to them."

"Let us not underestimate the Voltron Force just yet." Lotor cautioned. Well familiar with the Voltron force stealing victory from him at the last moment, Lotor wouldn't feel at ease until they got as far away as possible from the pilots.

"Of course." Allowed Tesla. The cruiser was in motion again, driving around the terminal. A gated entrance would bar their way, space port security approaching. Lotor had to reluctantly let Allura go so that she could resume sitting normally. He wanted nothing to stand out to the guard's perception of them, knowing even the smallest of oddities would make them memorable.

The guard rapped on the window with his fist. The door opened, allowing the man to peer inside. His gaze passed over each one of the three seated, and then he roughly held out his hands for the paperwork. Lotor wordlessly handed it to him, trying not to betray his anxiety as he waited for the guard to finish his reading. It was a terse seven minutes, the guard looking for signs to prevent them from boarding. But at last he sighed, and nodded his approval, stamping the final mark needed on their ids.

Tesla had produced papers of her own, ids for herself and the driver's fake identities. Those too would pass inspection, and the cruiser would then be admitted past the gate. They would continue their leisurely pace, driving past several dozen ships. But not the lions, Lotor's ship located clear on the other side of the massive field.

The ship already had it's ramp lowered, the cruiser floating up it to enter inside the vessel. The well lit area was empty of any of the ship's personnel, but cameras swiveled around to track the cruiser's movements. When it rolled free of the ramp, the doors sealed shut behind it. The cruiser would come to an abrupt halt, the doors all unlocking.

Tesla, who had been fingering the necklace she was wearing, flashed a relieved smile. "We won't get off this planet a moment too soon for my liking." She muttered, jerking the chain from around her neck. Instantly the illusion shattered, the chestnut colored hair turning purple, her porcelain pale skin taking on the faintest hue of green. Allura had already figured out that Tesla wasn't what she appeared, and thus the reveal of her true form didn't so much as merit a shocked look from the princess.

Tesla opened the door, swinging her shapely legs out of the cruiser. A hand went to pat at her hair, the woman still muttering. "If I never have to see a stranger's face when I look in a mirror again...it will be too soon..."

"Oh, I dunno...I rather liked how you look as a human." The driver had also removed his necklace, his gray skin and silver eyes revealed. He had no hair, only the stiff head ridges that the more lizard like Drules sported. "You were pretty..."

"Are you saying I am not pretty normally?" Demanded a scowling Tesla. The driver immediately moved to appease her, but the woman continued to growl at him. Allura stay seated, listening to the bickering pair right up until Lotor nudged her.

"Come Allura...We won't find the flight very comfortable if we remain here." Allura bit back a retort, not wanting any comforts so long as she was his prisoner. She stepped out of the cruiser, and for one all to brief moment had her personal space back. That moment lasted only long enough for Lotor to climb out, and then the prince was immediately taking her arm.

Begginning to struggle, Allura pointed out the obvious. "There's nowhere for me to go..."

"It pleases me to touch you." That answer made her even more upset, Allura not wanting anything about her to please Lotor. She continued her attempts to get away, Lotor jerking her against him.

"Problem?" Tesla had noticed what was going on, her sliver thin eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Nothing I can't manage." Lotor answered, and Allura fumed.

"I am not something to manage!"

She was ignored, Lotor pulling her along as the three Drules walked towards a door at the end of the room. The cameras would continue to track their movements, the door opening at the last possible second of it's own accord. A long corridor would be revealed, and here there were several more Drules. They all bowed in greeting to the prince, but their expressions were tense. Allura thought it was because of what they were doing, and wondered if she could incite a mutiny with the right words.

"You won't get away with this!" Allura announced loudly. "The Voltron Force will stop you."

"The Voltron Force is too busy taking pictures to suspect anything wrong has happened." Lotor retorted.

Allura ignored that, persisting. "They won't rest until they hunt down every last one of you, and see that you pay for your crimes! You think this is worth it? That I am worth the trouble you will all get into? Are you all such fools, that you would die for your prince's obsession!"

Lotor let out an angry growl, and in one smooth move had her pushed against the nearest wall. "It is not just obsession! Never that..."

"I am not worth it..." Allura repeated, though her voice had gone hushed with her fear. "One woman is not worth the loss of your freedom, or your lives..." Did she dare hope that the looks the Drules were exchanging were uncertain? Lotor, still cloaked in the guise of the guard, stared at her. His eyes were angry, and seemed to gleam with the light's reflection in them.

"You are worth it." Lotor's voice was harsh, the Drule practically spitting out the words. "To me, you are worth a lot more than you realize...I would do anything, endure the greatest of hardships for you. I would throw away my life for a mere moment in your presence..."

"You don't speak for the others!" Allura snapped back. "You will sacrifice nothing while they risk their lives to help you in this mad scheme!"

"The prince is sacrificing more than you realize!" Tesla had come closer, her eyes angry as she snarled at Allura. "You'll never find a man as devoted as he, a man who endured as much as he has. A man as willing to do as much as the prince is doing in order to secure your futures."

"Oh?" Allura's tone was tart. "And what is he doing that is so impressive? Besides kidnapping me, and endangering the Alliance!"

"He..."

"That's enough Tesla." Lotor interrupted with a growl.

"But sire! She...she speaks with impunity. She should..."

"She doesn't know." Lotor answered. "She doesn't yet understand..."

"I wonder if she will ever understand..."

"Understand what?" Allura demanded, looking back and forth between the two Drules. This Tesla seemed more prone to reveal what was happening, but Lotor gave a quick shake of his head no. Tesla stared at Allura, then made a scoffing sound. Still furious, the woman turned her back on Allura. The princess frowned. "What don't you want me to know?"

"You needn't concern yourself with this." Lotor retorted

"Oh? And is that what Tesla thinks?" Allura demanded. "It's obvious she thinks it's important enough that I should know...!"

"Tesla spoke out of turn." Lotor retorted, and his tone turned dangerous. "She won't make that mistake again."

Even though Tesla was someone Allura considered an enemy, she still paled in fright. She wondered just how Lotor would ensure the Drule female wouldn't talk, and her mind ran vivid with murderous scenarios. It showed on her face, Lotor sighing. "You think me some kind of monster." He stepped back, and was even more displeased when Allura nodded.

"Aren't you?" She asked, and Lotor shook his head.

"I may be many things, but I believe you have no concept of what true monstrosity is..." This time he didn't try to drag her by the arm, expecting her to follow behind him. She hesitated a minute, but realized there was no better options. She did not want to remain in the hall with these unknown Drules. Especially since they were staring at her, some actually daring to scowl. They hadn't like what had happened. Allura wondered if this had something to do with the lack of understanding Tesla had insisted she had.

Trying not to shake, she hurried past the Drules. Lotor hadn't paused to wait for her, forcing Allura to run after him. She;d catch up to the three Drules as they were entering a newly opened door. Beyond it's threshold was several doors, one opening. She caught a brief glimpse of what had to be the ship's command deck, and the crew that ran it were all human in appearance. Allura was certain it was more of Haggar's magic at work, the crew needing to stay disguised until they were done communicating with the space port terminal.

The door closed, ending her spying. But she saw a new man standing in the hall with them, and he reached up to remove his necklace. Immediately a tall Drule was revealed, with inky black hair that was streaked with electric blue highlights. Those streaks complimented his blue skin, making it seemed a bolder shade than the prince's own azure. His gold eyes looked satisfied, and he broke out into a grin, white fangs being revealed.

"You did it!" He exclaimed, walking towards the group.

"Wouldn't be here if I had failed." Lotor answered. And that was the sad truth of it all. From the moment he had left the embassy, all his plans had been riding on if Allura was with him. He would have never gotten into the cruiser without her, would have never traveled to the space port. All his hopes, his dreams had been riding on his ability to threaten Allura into behaving. He didn't know what would have happened if something had gone wrong at the embassy, if she had screamed. Probably a blood bath, the disguised Drules fighting to kill every one present.

If that had happened, there would have been no way to get Allura out of the embassy without his father's men knowing about it. They would have expected one of two things from the prince. Either for Lotor to kill Allura then and there, or to bring her back to Doom for his father's entertainments. There would have been no hope of his father allowing him to keep Allura. Not in her present state. Lotor nearly shuddered to think of the kind of breaking Zarkon would do, to render Allura suitable company for his son.

Lotor was willing to do anything to keep that from happening to Allura. To keep her from becoming a victim of Zarkon's own brand of tough loving. He didn't like to think what that anything would entail though, Lotor grateful everything had gone according to plan. He refused to torture himself with what ifs, shaking his head to clear any negative thoughts from him.

"Greetings your highness." The Drule with the blue streaked hair had bowed to Allura. He didn't try to reach for her hand though, well aware of the potential to cause unwanted jealousy in the prince. "It is an honor to meet you at last..."

"And you are?" Allura demanded, hardly looking happy with the introductions.

"Ryder." He answered. "I'm a communications expert." He winked then at her. "At least that's what my official employment record states."

Allura didn't seem to know what to make of that. "Oh..."

Ryder seemed a little disappointed that Allura didn't show the slightest hint of curiosity about him, sighing dramatically. "Unofficially the prince would be lost without my aid..."

"Ryder!" snapped Tesla, annoyed. But Lotor held up a hand, more amused than anything.

"It's all right Tesla. Ryder means no harm."

"That's right." Again Ryder addressed Allura. "I'm harmless." Again those fangs flashed, leaving Allura with the impression he was anything but harmless. "You'll find me a more easy going sort than other, bees up their bonnets Drules." Tesla growled at that, and Ryder grinned. "See what I mean?"

Allura wasn't ready to be amused, though she wasn't anywhere near as annoyed as Tesla acted. "Come...you must be tired." Lotor had taken hold of her arm again, and was attempting to lead her off. "Ryder, I take it you had the rooms prepared?"

"Of course...gave it top priority." The Drule assured him.

"Prepared?" Allura asked, feeling her dread return. "What does that mean? What have you done?" She was begginning to imagine whip and chains, her imagination running wild as she remembered the racier romance novels she had read.

"It's nothing to worry about." But that was exactly what she was doing, Allura walking so slowly she was practically being dragged forward. She tried to get a sense of the layout of the ship, but it soon became apparent she would be lost without Lotor guiding her. She grumbled softly under her breath, giving in to the pull on her arm. Their ultimate destination was the cabin normally reserved for the ship's captain.

Impressively large, it consisted of three rooms. That included the bathroom. Lotor ushered her inside, then spun her around to face him. She immediately found his arms around her, Lotor crushing her a little too tight. She felt the warmth of him, and again thought he ran hotter than she expected a Drule to feel. She struggled in his embrace, and finally squealed out a reproach.

"I can't breathe! You're suffocating me!" It was true too, her face pressed into his chest. Lotor tensed before letting her go, and she immediately fled to the other side of the room. Lotor watched her, and reached up to remove the necklace with it's jade amulet. It was dropped carelessly to the floor, Lotor smiling at her.

"Won't need this anymore..." She just eyed him warily in response, noticing the strangeness of his appearance. His eyes seemed unfocused, a kind of glassy sheen to them that had been hidden by Haggar's illusion. He was fiddling with the collar of the stolen mbassy guard uniform, loosening the buttons as though that would allow him to breath better.

"Take of the necklace." Lotor ordered her. "I want to see you."

"No." It made no sense to keep the necklace on save to defy him. After all, her plain faced disguise had done nothing to discourage Lotor's attentions when they had been inside the cruiser. There would be no safe haven in hiding her looks. Nor did she feel pleasured from the piqued look he gave her, Lotor frowning and walking towards her.

"Take it off. There's no need for it now..." Mutely, Allura shook her head, backing into the wall at his approach. He seemed torn between being puzzled and upset, Lotor stopping just a hare's breath from her. "You would deny me the simple pleasure of looking at you?"

"Yes." She retorted, voice firm. His frown deepened, Lotor reaching to finger the necklace's opal. She thought she read the intent in his eyes, Allura tensing the instant before he tore the necklace free of her throat. The large opal let out a muted clunk of sound when it hit the carpet. Lotor stared at her a moment, his hand on her cheek. She didn't try to hide how she stiffened in response to that touch of his.

"The bathroom is to the rear of this cabin." He said, abruptly pulling away. "I'm sure you'll want to shower and relax." There was nothing in the world that could convince her to take a shower when he was so near to her, nor did Allura feel she could relax. "I'm sorry, we don't have a change of clothes for you. But there should be towels and a robe to wear..."

There was no way she was about to strip down to wearing just a bathrobe around Lotor. The very thought made her shiver, Allura shaking her head no to hide the reaction. "Are you hungry?" Lotor was solicitous. "Shall I go and see if a meal can be prepared before?"

She didn't have much of an appetite, but Allura wouldn't turn down the chance to send Lotor away. Even if it was only for a brief few minutes. "I am a bit famished." She spoke as though admitting to something grand. Lotor acted accordingly, eager to please her in this small way. He touched her face once more, and then was leaving. But not before pausing to pick up and pocket the two necklaces.

The locking of the door behind him was the trigger to her collapse, Allura falling to her knees to pound her fists on the floor. All the fear and uncertainties, the worries she had been holding in now rushed to overwhelm her. She nearly screamed when she felt the shaking of the room, the ship begginning to move. There was no windows for her to rush to, but Allura didn't need to see to know they were leaving. She hit the floor harder with her fists, wailing at the injustice of it all.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

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Lotor Sincline, ah...you masochist you! I kid I kid! Out of love. *hugs* And thank you! The powerful read comment really made me happy! :D Glad you like Haggar in this one...she's on Lotor's side rather than Zarkon's, kinda like another Harem Slave Haggar! Doing what she can to keep Lotor alive and surviving everything. Even if she doesn't always agree with his choices...Oh dear...I guess it wasn't clear...Lotor had such difficulty finding an exit, cause he is starting to have a relapse from his fever/illness. He will be collapsing in I believe the next chapter, leaving Allura to deal with the other Drules while he is out of it. Ryder a small time character from Animal Attraction and Divine Misunderstandings finally has a big part in this story. Some of the future chapters are from his point of view. I'll spoil you a little. He's slated to have a romance in this story. And Allura inadvertantly is responsible for Ryder meeting his lady!


	5. Chapter 5

She really didn't have time to give into despair. Allura knew this, and fought against the emotions that were attempting to overwhelm her. She refused to be waylaid by her fears or her upset, needing her mind clear and able to function. It was a struggle, the girl staying down on her knees, hair falling forward to obscure her face. Her breath came out in uneven pants, but she did not give in to tears. She could cry later, but right now she had to retain her wits about her.

She stared down at her hands as she attempted to get control. Her knuckles were bruised from the repeated pounding she had done with her fists. They actually hurt, making Allura regret that earlier display. Shoving up off the floor, she stood and looked around. This was a prime time to be attempting an escape, the first time Lotor had left her alone since barging into the room at the embassy. She knew not to waste it, even as she was unsure of just how long it would take Lotor to return with the meal.

She began to explore the room, hoping against hope that one of the remaining doors would lead to an unlocked exit. Unfortunately for her, they only led into a bathroom, and before that the bedroom. She looked around to try and see what preparations had been done. Allura felt relief to note there appeared to be no chains associated with the bed. Not that she relaxed with that observation, Allura moving frantically about the room.

She threw open closet doors, seeing there was only a few shirts and pants hanging there. That let her know Lotor didn't plan to be on board this ship for very long. It made her wonder, would they be ditching this ship, or was their destination close by?

Pondering those questions, she began to turn the room upside down. She pulled open every drawer, and rifled through their contents. She searched the desk in the corner, but there was nothing. Not even a ink pen or letter opener. There was also no computer for her to attempt to send out a message, and Allura fought not to laugh in hysteria. It had been ridiculous to think Lotor would leave a computer unattended around her, that the man wouldn't be prepared to keep these rooms bereft of anything she could actually use to aid her escape.

Why even the pins from her bun had been taken, left inside the cruiser that had transported them to this ship. There wasn't even a lamp or vase to break into pieces, the room containing only furniture that was too heavy for her to move. And that was before she noticed how everything was bolted down to the floor.

"It's hopeless." Allura sagged in place, her back sliding down the wall as she went down to her knees. The despair was surging back, stronger than ever. She really thought she might really cry this time, and Allura covered her face with her hands. When the invitation had been issued to attend the summit meeting at Kirentya, Allura had never imagined just how wrong things could have gone!

Oh, she had expected Doom to try something. They all had. With so many important figures that included world leaders, garrison generals, and key alliance members, Doom would have been a fool to pass up the opportunity this gathering presented. It was just one of the reasons why Arus had been invited to attend, the Alliance counting on the Voltron Force to run interference with whatever Doom threw at the capital.

But Allura had never thought one Drule, let alone a hundred of them, would be able to so thoroughly sneak inside the embassy. She hadn't realized that Haggar was quite that powerful, and she chafed at being proven wrong. The sheer amount of magic power it would take to enchant so many necklaces was astounding, Allura thinking Haggar must have started the instant word had leaked out about the summit meeting.

This meeting had been over three months in the making, careful planning needed to arrange everyone's schedules so that they could attend. At one point it had seemed as though the meeting would never take place, people and time unable to line up accordingly. It had seemed a miracle when the meeting was finally a reality, and though Allura did not agree with everything the Alliance presented them with, she had thought they had had the chance to do real good there.

Now she knew better, realizing they had all been sitting targets. Allura wondered if anyone would survive the blood bath, knowing the Drule soldiers would be willing to die for their Empire. Die and take as many Alliance members with them. She shuddered and let out a low moan, wondering what would become of the Galaxy Alliance. Would it even be able to recover from the loss of so many key figures? And what of the worlds that lost their rulers? How quickly would they fall to Doom's attacks?

Invariably, her thoughts turned to Arus, Allura moaning again. Even if Keith survived the massacre at the embassy, Voltron would still be missing a pilot. Would Arus even have time to train her replacement? Or would Doom move to crush the planet before that could happen?

As distressing as these thoughts were, they served a purpose. They helped to keep Allura distracted from worrying about her own looming fate. She might keep from giving in to her hysteria if she didn't focus on the fact she was onboard a ship full of Drules. Men and women who would do nothing to help her, nothing to save her from the man who had brought her onboard.

Allura refused to think on what Lotor would do to her, on what he had been doing ever since they had gotten inside the cruiser. As if the thinking would make this nightmare a reality, as if her thoughts would bring back Lotor all the sooner. She dreaded his return, what it would mean for her, for them. And thus Allura coped in the only way she knew how, by worrying about the fate of others.

But worrying didn't make her feel better. In fact Allura felt sick when she thought of the millions upon millions of people poised to have their lives ruined by Doom. She covered her face with her hands, the first of her useless tears falling. She'd still be crying minutes later when the cabin's door opened. Immediately she stilled, the last of her tears ending in sniffles. Allura could hear Lotor moving about the cabin's outer chamber, presumedly laying out the meal he had fetched.

He didn't come immediately into the bedroom, which gave Allura even more time to compose herself. She hurriedly brushed the backs of her hands against her eyes, trying to dry the remains of her tears.

Pouring half a glass of vintage wine for himself, Lotor listened for sounds of Allura's movements. She wasn't in the shower, he knew that much. He would have heard the roar of the shower's water. Instead he had been greeted with something that sounded very much like muted crying. Faint though it had been. It had also ceased almost instantly, Allura composing herself at a rate that left him astonished. And admiring, Lotor smiling as he thought of her control.

In this instant, control was something he approved of, Lotor not wanting to deal with a half hysterical Allura. In other instants he thought her control nothing more than an obstacle, a barrier to overcome. He would look forward to breaking down that control, thinking it was part of what Allura used to hold herself back from him. He wouldn't allow her to do that. She would give him everything, everything that she was, everything that she had. Even everything that she would be. Just as he would give all that and more back to her.

He sniffed at the glass of wine, but it's scent was unable to entice him to drink. He'd much rather drink of her, her scent, her beauty, her very essence. But he forced himself to be patient, giving her a few more minutes to calm herself. He sat down while he waited, finding the room didn't spin quite so much when he was seated. He stared into the glass, a finger stirring lazily in the center. He wondered if Allura could be enticed to drink with him. The chances of that was probably slim, the girl not yet ready to lower her inhibitions around him.

Perhaps when they reached the mansion, she would share a celebratory toast with him. He'd like that. But not as much as he would like having her in his bed. He tried not to lose himself to fantasies. Not when at the moment Allura was a very present part of his reality. And although it was a tense situation, he was already finding moments worth savoring. Such as the trip inside the cruiser, Lotor having spent an inordinate amount of time holding her. Some might have laughed at the thought of the prince of Doom gaining such immeasurable pleasure just from chastely holding a woman. They would deny the happiness that had filled him at being so near to the woman he loved.

He wanted to hold her again. His arms felt empty without her. He missed the weight of her on his lap. She was essential to his well being, his happiness. He could not exist without her. This brief taste of her had confirmed his suspicions about that, Lotor hungering for more of Allura.

As keen as this hunger was, when the bedroom door opened, he was instantly on his feet. The glass was discarded, set down on the table top. He gazed across the room at Allura, the girl standing framed in the doorway. Her eyes weren't red. She had taken the time to splash water on her face in an attempt to hide that she had been crying. Lotor didn't let on that he had heard the tail end of her sobs, instead leveling a smile at her.

She didn't return the expression, but at least she kept his gaze. Never taking his eyes off her, Lotor gestured to the plates. "It's not much...but then I don't think either one of us is very interested in eating."

She seemed to go several shades paler at that, forcing Lotor to hold back his sigh. Why must she misinterpret the meaning behind his words? He hadn't meant anything outrageous. Truly he had been thinking of her upset, and how it would most likely prevent her from eating very much.

"We're moving." It was the first thing Allura said when she recovered from whatever she had imagined him to mean. He nodded slowly, and her expression turned even more trouble. "Are we going to join the Drule fleet?"

She was certain there was one. There might even be enough ships to make a Doom armada, though she wondered just where such an amount of ships would hide. An answer came to her, the thought bitter as she mused that Haggar probably used her magic to cloak them.

"The Drule fleet?" Lotor blinked slowly, his eyes holding an unsettled look. "No." He answered. "Our course does not lie with the fleet."

That wasn't as surprising as it should have been. But then Allura had already guessed from his earlier hesitation that they weren't headed to Doom. She didn't know why though, unless it was a tactic to throw the Voltron Force off their trail. "Then where are we going?" She demanded, and was hardly pleased with his answer.

"Some place where we can be alone together."

"We're alone now." Allura pointed out. Her stomach seemed to flutter in response to the smile Lotor gave her.

"So we are." He gave up on waiting for her to come to the table, Lotor walking towards Allura. At some point while he was gone, he had done away with the stolen jacket, leaving him clad in just a shirt and form fitting pants. The shirt was unbuttoned halfway down, and the cuffs had been loosened around his wrists. He had made himself comfortable, and that left Allura uneasy.

Almost as uneasy as watching him approach her, with that smile on his face. She wanted to be brave, but her courage failed her. Allura backed up a step, then another, noting Lotor wasn't stopping his approach. He actually reached out with his arm, hand extended towards her though what he expected she did not know. Certainly he didn't think it would be that easy to get her to take his hand, Because she knew where that would lead, Lotor pulling her to him. Once in reach he would touch her, and this time she feared he wouldn't stop.

She wanted to bat away his hand as a sign of her disfavor. But she didn't dare come that close, Allura turning to flee deeper into the bedroom. He persisted in following her, not at all discouraged. Her eyes frantically darted about the room, Allura hoping to find something she had missed earlier. The only thing that looked like a viable weapon was a heavy, hardcover book. She didn't think it would do more than annoy him, and yet she still lunged for it.

"Allura!" Lotor shouted, his hand coming down on top of hers. The book slammed back on the desk, her hand was pinned beneath his. His front pressed into her back, Lotor close and towering over her. She wanted to move away, and yet he had her trapped between his body and the desk.

His other hand was free to do as it pleased, and it lifted towards her. She saw it's approach out the corner of her eye, and cried out a protest. "Don't!" Mortifyingly, her breath rasped out in her panic. If she wasn't careful, she'd start to hyperventilate.

Lotor seemed to sense just how intense her panic was, doing a soft hiss meant to calm her. "Shh..." His hand touched her cheek, his fingers gently caressing the skin

there. "It's okay Allura...I will not hurt you."

"I don't believe you." She retorted, voice all a quiver.

His head bowed so that he could press his lips against her scalp. "I know." And he did, Lotor knowing Allura did not yet trust him. Worse yet, she feared him. He knew he had done many things worthy of a lot of people's fears. But this girl pressed against him was the one person who should never fear him! And yet she did, her body trembling badly as she fought to control her breathing.

He ceased pinning her hand, needing that arm to hug her against him. His fingers splayed over her breast, directly where her heart would be. Lotor imagined he could feel it's frantic beating and wondered if there was anyway to calm it down. But he had the unfortunate thought that it would never go back to it's normal pace so long as he was near Allura. She was simply that scared of him, and the only way to get her over such fear was to acclimatize her to him. And that meant further contact, further touching and pushing her past her current comfort levels.

He shifted his hands, using them to turn Allura to face him. Her eyes were as expressive as ever, beautiful blue and showing her fear and apprehension. His hand touched her cheek, thumb extending towards her mouth to do a brief touch. He had dreamed of that mouth, wondering what it would be like to finally kiss her. Wondering how sweet it would be to part her lips with his tongue, and do an insistent probing inside.

He no longer had to dream. Her mouth was his for the taking anytime he wanted. And yet Lotor made no moved towards it, fearing he would lose all control if he was to kiss her. With a regretful sigh he dropped his hand, securing a grip around her waist instead. He could feel her tensing up, and his smile did nothing to reassure her. "I won't hurt you." He repeated, and scooped her up into his arms.

Allura went still with shock, finding herself draped bridal style in Lotor's arms. He nuzzled his face against her hair, and then was taking an unsteady step towards the bed. She didn't think her weight was such that it could prove such a heavy burden to him. And yet he was having obvious difficulty in walking a straight line. Then she remember the glass he had held, Allura sure it had been some kind of intoxicant. That would explain this drunken style of walking, but in no way eased her fears.

Even worse, he carried her to the bed. Her fear immediately racketed up several notches, Allura losing her stiffness to began struggling with all her earnest might. Lotor nearly dropped her in the process, the princess grabbing handfuls of his hair and pulling. He growled out her name, expression pained but it was with the utmost care that he laid her down on the bed.

She immediately began scrambling backwards, pulling herself all the way to the wall. Lotor followed, crawling after her on hands and knees. He looked as graceful as a cat doing that, some large predatory feline stalking his prey. She drew her knees up against her chest, Allura thinking she really might hyperventilate when Lotor laid his hands on her legs.

But he didn't attempt to pry them apart, Lotor doing light caresses with his palms. He stroked down the length of each leg, trying to relax her out of her huddle. He leaned into her as he did this, prepared to block her with his arms should she try to escape to the side of him. She looked at him with the fear of a wild animal that knew it was trapped, her nostrils flaring.

"Don't...no don't..." Allura was repeating over and over again.

"It's just touching Allura." His response, Lotor continuing to massage her legs. "Nothing more."

"It's never just touching with you." Allura responded. The maid's skirt wasn't ridiculously short, coming down almost to her knees. But she wore no stockings under the skirt, allowing his hands to touch bare flesh. He nearly moaned at the sensual feel of her skin, thinking she was soft all over. He wanted to explore that softness, to rub her body into relaxing. Maybe then she'd be more compliant, her fear lessening as she realized all he wanted to do was touch her.

"Please..." Allura whispered, voice breaking on an uncertain note. "Let me go..."

"Never." His answer was automatic, but no less fierce with his passion. "You belong with me..."

"I don't." She denied, but Lotor continued as though she hadn't spoken.

"You belong with me...in my life, in my home, in my bed..."

"Your bed?" Allura gasped, and any pretense she could have attempted to remain indifferent to his words, shattered. "No! Never!"

"It will happen Allura." Lotor told her, leaning into her so that his breath ghosted on her face. She felt dizzy, but still noticed she couldn't smell any alcohol on his breath. That confused her, but she didn't have time to ponder, Lotor merciless as he spoke. "And sooner than you think."

Alarmed, and unable to jerk back, Allura fitfully shook her head no. "No...you can't..."

"I can...we will..." Lotor insisted, noticing her face seemed to waver and distort. "It's best you start getting used to the idea Allura. It will go easier on us both if you do not fight me on this..."

"I will never stop fighting you!" The girl shouted at him, her hands trying to shove him away. He should have been upset by her words, but Lotor found he was having a harder and harder time focusing on her. On what he was saying, and doing. He wanted that kiss, and he wanted to slide his hands under her skirt. But he also wanted to sleep at the moment.

"There's still time." Was his words slurring? "Still time." Lotor repeated. "I will give you until journey's end to come to grips with our relationship."

"You're mad!" Allura snapped, and though it made him dizzier, he shook his head no.

"Just in love." She snorted at that, then screamed, Lotor landing on top of her. His weight held her down, but it was an awkward pin, Allura not laying flat beneath him. She pushed at his shoulders, frantic to escape him. She didn't even register at first that he wasn't trying to touch her, wasn't groping her body or ripping off her clothes. In fact, Lotor was doing nothing, just laying awkwardly on top of her.

Tentatively, she ceased her struggles, peering wide eyed at Lotor. She had to touch his face, urging it up off her breasts. His eyes were closed, and his skin felt hotter than ever. She came to the realization that he had passed out, just as she heard the outer chamber's door open. The carpet muffled the footsteps, a man bursting into the room. For one hopeful second, she thought it was Keith. But then reality sunk in, Allura seeing the black hair was streaked with blue.

To Be Continued...!

Michelle

Lotor Sincline, yay! Glad to hear even with me spoiling you, you'll still read! I know it's different for everyone, but usually spoilers make me just want to read/watch/play something more. To see how they carry out the said thing that was spoiled. XD And thanks again for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

There was no time for staring, no time for anything but reaction. Allura continued to shove at Prince Lotor's body, wanting him off her and feeling sick. It was a sickness born of the situation, of her disappointment that the man who had burst into the room was not Keith. He wasn't even human, his gold eyes seeming to narrow as he looked at the bed. Allura could only imagine what he was thinking, and she quickly blurted out a protest.

"I didn't do it!"

Ryder didn't ask her what she had meant by that, his hands reaching towards his belt. She thought he meant to draw his pistol on her, Allura fearing he vastly misunderstood the situation. "This isn't my fault!"

But it was not his weapon he reached for, Ryder drawing out a communicator from a side pouch. He stared at her as his thumb flicked a button, the brief hiss of sudden static loud. He didn't wait for acknowledgment, speaking a torrent of words in Drule. The response was immediate, several voices sounding urgent. Ryder would say something short and dismissive, and then set aside the communicator.

But he wasn't idle, the Drule with the blue streaked hair stalking towards the bed. But he didn't appear angry, just worried. Allura watched his approach, and turned imploring. "Please...get him off me." She begged. She pushed feebly at Lotor's shoulders, showing how impossible she found it to move him.

Ryder didn't ask her what had happened, simply nodding as he gripped Lotor by the arms. She envied the ease in which he moved the prince, Allura quickly scooting out and off the bed. Ryder was turning Lotor onto his back, easing him down against the pillows. The Drule frowned as he looked at the prince, Ryder picking up his wrist, and testing the pulse there in.

She read the concern on his face. It compelled her to ask, Allura bringing her hands together to fidget with her fingers. "What's happening? What's wrong with him?"

"He's had a relapse." Ryder answered, and now he laid a hand on Lotor's forehead. His frown deepened, the man letting out a curse word in Drule.

"A relapse?" asked Allura. "He was sick?" Ryder slowly nodded, but didn't go into details. "What was he sick from?"

He couldn't smile at the princess question, but he did tease her. "The prince will be pleased by your concern." He watched as Allura turned red, the girl shaking her head no.

"It's not concern!" She protested. "Not for him...never for him."

There was many things Ryder could have said in response. Including pointing out how dangerous a situation she could find herself in if Lotor did indeed die. It was surely a thought she had also considered. But what Allura didn't know, was Lotor had made everyone onboard the ship promise not to hurt her should something happen to him. It was a promise Ryder didn't care to illuminate her on.

Nor did he have much time to waste on banter, Ryder having noticed how weak and thready Lotor's pulse was. And that his skin was burning up, feeling far too hot for comfort. "I want you to go to the bathroom, and dampen a cloth." He ordered Allura. When she hesitated, he growled at her. "Do it!" The growl was what got her to move, Allura all but running into the bathroom.

Ryder did not track her movements. Even if she wanted to harm him, he had personally seen to the room's preparations. And thus knew there was nothing she could find to use as a weapon.

He kept his focus on Lotor, wondering how much longer until the doctor arrived. He touched Lotor's face, actually slapping him at one point in an attempt to rouse him. But Lotor didn't so much as moan. That worried him further, and Ryder found himself muttering about how he wasn''t as a medic.

"Here..." Allura whispered, holding out to him the soaking wet hand cloth. He snatched it from her, pressing it over the prince's forehead. Not even a sigh in response, Lotor just laying there. "Will he die?"

"Maybe." Ryder admitted. "It's too soon..."

"Too soon?"

"He hadn't fully recovered from his previous bout with the fever. His body isn't at full strength." Ryder glanced at her, letting the princess see how worried he was. "He should have never pushed himself..." But Ryder knew that Lotor had waited too long for this day. Too long had he spent scheming, planning out everything down to the last detail. He wouldn't have wanted to abandon the plan. Not when there was a chance that such an opportunity might never again present itself.

Ryder understood that, and still couldn't stop himself from thinking Lotor a fool. What was the point in bringing Allura here, if Lotor couldn't live to enjoy a life with her? He should have waited. Or even better, given up on the girl who had caused him so much grief. Ryder knew what Zarkon had been doing to Lotor. Everyone onboard the ship knew. The King had made no attempts to hide the abuse, at least not from anyone inside the castle. To the rest of Doom, as well as the Galaxy, the truth was hidden. It would have weakened their Empire, would have solidified the Drule citizens opinion that Zarkon was no longer fit to rule.

His lips curled into a sneer, Ryder thinking Zarkon had never been fit for the throne. He was a bully of the worst kind. The kind that targeted his own family. If he could be that vicious to his own flesh and blood, was it any surprise some of the nasty things Zarkon did to those he named enemy? It was no wonder Lotor wanted to escape. Ryder just hoped the escape didn't lie in the embrace of death.

The outer room's door burst open, several people rushing into the cabin. He could hear them talking as they moved, one voice in particular shouting. "Stop it, Tesla. Stop badgering the doctor before he has even had a chance to see to his highness."

Ryder didn't know what kind of face she made in response to his orders. But at least she quieted her shouts, leading the doctor into the bedroom. The Doctor, a Drule who was bald headed from hair loss took one look at the prince in the bed, and began making shooing motions with his hands. "Clear out of the way." He said. "Give me and my assistant room to work."

Allura had fled to the far side of the room after handing over the towel. Ryder reluctantly moved from Lotor's side, watching as the Doctor and his nurse, a pretty Drule female with hair colored a graying white, approached the side of the bed. The nurse carried the doctor's bag which was already open. The doctor bent over Lotor, stethoscope in place to listen to his heart. His face didn't betray what he thought of it's beat, the doctor holding out his hand. The nurse placed a thermometer into his waiting palm, the doctor intent on getting a full read out on the prince's temperature.

When the thermometer beeped, the doctor actually frowned at the numbers. "What is it?" Tesla and Ryder asked in one voice.

"It's worse than I expected...we'll have to keep him cool."

"Cool, right." Ryder agreed. "What else can we do?"

"Not much." The doctor admitted with a sigh. "I, of course, will prepare an injection that may help him combat the fever. But at this point, it's just a waiting game..." And that waiting would show whether Lotor lived or died.

"Damn it!" Ryder cursed. He wanted to punch a wall, feeling helpless in the moment.

"Tantrums won't help the prince." The doctor retorted.

"But from what you're saying, not much will." Tesla pointed out. The doctor didn't bother to respond, instead having the nurse ready the injection. All eyes seemed to be on the prince, Allura feeling unwatched and unnoticed. She began creeping towards the door, having noted no locking mechanism had been engaged. She wasn't quite sure what she would do once she was out of the room, but Allura knew she had to try to escape.

Maybe she'd be able to evade the Drules onboard the ship long enough to find a computer. She'd then be able to send out a distress signal to Arus, alert Coran both to her situation and the situation at the embassy. Allura wondered if her message would come soon enough, if anyone would still be alive to receive it. That was a depressing thought, Allura tip toeing faster towards the door. The Drules continued to fuss and worry over their prince, and Allura felt a thrill go through her. She was going to make it, she was going to get away.

"And where do you think you're going?" Hands grabbed her, Allura stifling her scream. She had almost been to the door, never realizing another Drule was lurking in the shadows of the outer chamber. She saw his face when he spun her around. It was the Drule that had driven the cruiser, the one whose name she still did not know. Silver eyes stared at her, he looked a little more amused than anything else.

"Not going to answer me?" He asked, then tsked. "Naughty princess, trying to take advantage of the situation to get away."

"I would be a fool not to!" She quickly retorted. "Let me go!" Allura added, but he merely pulled her deeper into the room. From the bedroom she could hear the voices of the other Drules, but they weren't concerned with her.

"Seems like with Lotor out of commission, the task of baby-sitter falls on me..." The gray skinned Drule muttered. He didn't look entirely thrilled with the idea. Neither was Allura for that matter.

"I don't need a baby-sitter!"

"I think you do. Who knows what kind of trouble you'd get into on your own." He sighed then grumbled. "And we can't exactly expect you to stay put like a good girl, can we?"

"I won't just roll over and play obedient for you, Drule! This is a crime! You kidnapped me!"

"It's only a crime if you get caught." He retorted. She glared at him with all her might. "Heh...you can spew venom and glare at me all you like, it ain't gonna hurt MY feelings." She tried to twist free of his grip, but the Drule merely tightened his hold on her arms.

"I hate you!" Allura spat out, her voice getting louder.

"Hate me?" He widened his eyes in surprise, than said in a drawl. "Sweetheart, you don't know me well enough to feel anything for me."

"You're helping him to kidnap me! Keeping me away from my friends and family, preventing me from protecting my world. Your actions have placed the Alliance in jeopardy...if anyone dies at that meeting, it will be the fault of all you Drules!"

"How will it be our fault? None of us here will have lifted a hand against those at the embassy."

"Don't waist your time Vorlac." Ryder's tired voice, the Drule walking out of the bedroom. "I doubt you'll be able to make the princess understand our point of view."

The gray skinned Drule, Vorlac, frowned. But he didn't press the issue, looking instead at Ryder. "How is he?"

"As best as we can expect, all things considering."

"That bad, huh..." Vorlac sighed. Ryder could only nod. "What do we do with her?" He gave Allura a little shake, the princess squeaking in protest. Ryder had a couple of ideas, one of them involving throwing Allura into the ship's holding cells. But he knew if Lotor recovered, he would be furious to discover such treatment had been given to his precious princess.

However, Ryder didn't yet trust Allura to be alone with an ailing Lotor. He was all too aware of how easy it would be for her to smother the prince with a pillow. The princess' murderous intentions aside, Lotor had regained consciousness briefly with the use of smelling salts. He had been upset to discover the nurse attempting to remove his shirt, the prince trying to shove her away from him. The doctor and Ryder had hurried to the bed, ready to calm him.

"Don't!" Lotor had actually latched onto Ryder's arms, his fingers seeming to burn the skin of the communication's expert. "Don't let her see..." He was all but begging, his fever ridden gaze unfocused as he stared at Ryder. The Drules had instantly known just what Lotor referred to. The scars on his back. He didn't want Allura to see them, and was near frantic to get their promise to hide them from her.

This bothered Tesla, the woman thinking Allura should know about the scars. Know about the pain and suffering Lotor had endured at his father's hands. It was no stretch of the imagination to think Tesla blamed Allura for the abuse inflicted on Lotor. After all, Zarkon had made countless remarks about how the love Lotor had for Allura weakened him. How the love needed to be destroyed, to be driven out of the prince by any means.

Ryder wondered if it would make any difference in Allura's opinion of the prince to know about the whippings. But he also knew it wasn't his place to betray the prince's secrets. So he had nodded, a tightlipped smile on his face that seemed to reassure Lotor. The prince had sagged back against the pillows, relaxing to the point he slipped back into unconsciousness.

This however left the problem of what to do with Allura. Lotor would need to be constantly wiped down with cold cloths, his body exposed. As such, the princess couldn't remain where she could see this. During the day it wasn't that big a problem to shuffle her around the ship, but where would she sleep at night? Rooms were limited onboard the ship, and she certainly couldn't stay in the crew's barracks.

Ryder did not want to give up his room. But he had a feeling he would have to. Even if Tesla could be persuaded to share her room with Allura, he didn't trust her. She might give in to the temptation to fill Allura in on the torments of Prince Lotor. All in some twisted attempt for Allura to recognize Lotor's pain, and acknowledged the blame for it that Tesla felt was the princess'.

"Ryder?" Vorlac prodded at his silence.

"Take her to the commissary for now." Ryder decided. "We don't need her underfoot while tending to the prince."

"If you just let me go." Allura began. "Then you wouldn't have to worry about me getting in the way!"

"Sorry princess, it ain't happening." Vorlac snapped. "For good or for bad, you're stuck with us." He adjusted his grip so that he held only one of her arms, and then Vorlac began dragging a protesting Allura out of the cabin. Ryder followed them to the door, trying to hide his unhappy smile. Things were taking a turn for the worse with the prince's collapse. A damn right shame after how smoothly the operation went on planet Kirentya.

"What else can go wrong?" He wondered out loud. He didn't expect an answer though, the Drule closing the door. He wondered why their luck couldn't have lasted longer. They had escaped from Kirentya without anyone suspecting anything amiss. More importantly, they had evaded the Drule fleet which wouldn't have hesitated to open fire on an Alliance based ship. Everything had been falling into place, right up until he had heard Allura's scream. That scream was what had brought him running, Ryder bursting into the cabin.

He hoped Lotor would recover from this latest bout with the fever. He might even pray even though he wasn't a particularly religious Drule. And all because he was that loyal a friend to Prince Lotor. Ryder wanted him to succeed, wanted to live to have the life he had always dreamed of. Lotor deserved a chance at happiness, and though he might not agree entirely with how he was going about things, Ryder would do his damnedest to get Lotor what he wanted. Even if that included giving up his room to a princess who wouldn't appreciate the gesture.

Sorry short chapter...couldn't really extend it anymore...X_X

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Wade Wells, thanks! I'm glad all my um...enthusiastic babbling *giggles*, stirred your interest for this story. :D


	7. Chapter 7

Word had spread quickly through the ship about the prince's relapse. As did the order to keep the princess of Arus in the dark about just why he had gotten so ill. Not everyone agreed with this decision, but it was the prince's to make. They would not go against him. No matter how much the princess pestered and annoyed them. And not just with her questions, Princess Allura hardly behaving in an exemplary fashion.

She was rude, and downright hostile at times. She was angry about the forced way she had been brought on board the ship. She harbored resentment against those who would not release her. Allura was even scared. Frightened of Prince Lotor, and frightened of what would happen to her should he die. She was unable to decide what was the better course for her. To remain as Lotor's prisoner, or to have the prince die, leaving her future uncertain.

Her behavior didn't always endear her to the other Drules. They tried to make allowances for her, understanding she was upset and under a lot of stress due to the situation she found herself in. But that understanding could only extend so far, Allura trying their patience. Thus it was no surprise when certain people began sniping back at her, no longer able to tolerate her rudeness. Especially when they were filled with such concern about their prince.

Ryder tried to get along with Allura. He truly did. But it was impeded by the fact that the attempts were nearly one sided on his part. Allura tried his patience under the best of circumstances, leaving the communication's expert avoiding her as much as he could. It was easy to do that. With Lotor out of commission, the duties of a leader fell onto Ryder's shoulders. It was up to Ryder to make snap decisions, and keep everyone calm aboard the ship.

With Lotor seeming to weaken by the day, the Drules were growing increasingly worried. They saw their plans falling apart, their futures clouded in uncertainty. They had risked much to go along with Prince Lotor's scheme, daring to give up their careers and their world to follow him into a new life. As things stood now, if Lotor died, they would be lost. Unable to return to Doom for fear of Zarkon discovering what they had attempted to do.

Sighing, Ryder brought his fingers to his temples. He began rubbing in circles, as though that could ward off his headache. He hadn't been sleeping very much these last few days, and it was starting to take a toll on him. But there was so much to do, so much to try and hold together. There was fears to calm, and new plans to be made. The one thing no one had taken into account before departing on this mad quest was what would happen if Lotor were to die. He was everything, the foundation in which all their hopes and dreams laid upon.

And now he lay in what could very well be his death bed. Ryder let out a silent snarl, hating that he had had that thought. He hated even more that the thought might have truth to it. And there was nothing he could do to change Lotor's fate, he could only wait and hope for the best. Ryder wished he could be as ignorant as some of the other Drules onboard the ship. The ones who came to him, seeking reassurance that everything would be fine. He had given some pretty lies, all in order to keep the crew from panicking, and all the while Ryder wished he could believe what he said to them.

If there was ever a time to start praying, it was now. Ryder did not know if any God would deign to listen to his prayers, not after falling out of favor with religion for so long. But he was still willing to try, sitting in the ship's small chapel. It wasn't much to look at. It had been added as an after thought, the room small and insignificant compared to the size of the ship. Even with as bare bones a crew as this ship had, they all wouldn't have all been able to fit inside the chapel at one time. It didn't matter, since no regular sermons were being held.

They had no priest, just a few statues of the more popular Drule Gods. It was a quiet place, meant to offer comfort and the space for contemplation and prayers. Since Lotor's relapse, it had been receiving a lot more visitors. The Drules left offerings by the feet of the statues. The offerings were small, but items that had meaning. People leaving medallions, small blades, even locks of hair.

Ryder himself had placed a medallion, one whose center was scarred from the direct impact of a laser. It had saved his life, the medallion deflecting a laser meant for his heart. That medallion had become Ryder's good luck charm, one he had kept with him for years. He'd gladly give it up now if it meant the prince would survive the fever a second time.

Still massaging his temples, Ryder tried to clear his mind of everything but the prayers he wanted to say. "Don't let him die." His tone was fierce, almost lacking respect as he address the chapel's deities. "He deserves a chance at happiness...at a real life free of the hardships that have been dealt him."

He tried not to think of those hardships, wanting to focus instead on the happiness Lotor thought he could find with the princess of Arus. Ryder didn't know if she was the key to Lotor's healing, the Drule finding her personality to be prickly at best. But he knew they said love was blind to all faults, and if that was true, then maybe Lotor would be able to ignore much of Allura's anger.

Regardless of how the princess acted, Ryder was counting on-hoping, that her presence, her very nearness, would be the balm Lotor's soul needed. If the prince could recover from the abuse Zarkon had done to him, maybe then there was real hope for the Doom Empire's future. Of course Lotor would always carry the physical scars of what Zarkon had done to him, but maybe in a spiritual sense he'd be all right. No longer tortured mentally and emotionally, and able to function in a capacity that didn't involve running away from all his current responsibilities.

The Empire needed help. Of that there was no doubt. They needed a strong leader, one of sane mind and of a less quick to anger temper. Zarkon may have been strong, but his mind was twisted. He did things no Drule should ever do, and his anger was quick to trigger. He needed to be replaced, but no one would dare try. Not even Lotor, the prince seeming to have given up all hope in defeating his father.

That just show how thoroughly Zarkon had beaten Lotor, abused him to the point his spirit had cracked. The prince had given up hope on the Empire ever being free of King Zarkon's tyranny. To the point he'd rather run away and start life anew elsewhere. Ryder and the other Drules held out hope that in time, Lotor would change his mind. That he would recover from everything that had been done to him, and emerge a force to be reckoned with. A force not even Zarkon could tear down.

But that would take some time. He knew it wouldn't be an effortless recovery, it could take months or even years before Lotor was back to the man he had been when he first emerged from the Drule Academy. The man Zarkon had not yet torn apart, the man who had led a number of Drule invasions to success. It was the Arus mission that had drawn Zarkons' displeasure to his son, the king unable to accept that no one, not even Lotor, could succeed against Voltron.

Ryder privately thought that if Lotor had never been called back to Doom, everything would have continued to be just fine. The prince could have continued his conquests in the far reaches of the Denubian Galaxy, content to remain there until King Zarkon finally died. Of course life didn't work out that perfectly. He had left his post, and returned to the home world. Return to the abuses his father would heap on him.

Ryder wasn't like Tesla. He didn't see the blame of what had happened to Lotor as Allura's. The abuse would have happened, regardless of the princess. And all it would take was some colossal failure on Lotor's part. Arus was that failure, but it could have been any world, really. Sometimes Ryder felt Zarkon had just been waiting for his chance to return a punishing hand to Lotor's flesh.

Ryder was not much of a religious type, but even he knew it was wrong to pray for someone's death. Even if that someone was King Zarkon, with countless sins on his soul. And yet he didn't understand why the Gods would allow him to live, why they would suffer a presence as evil and abusive as Zarkon's. It made him angry, Ryder fighting not to turn hostile when he was praying to the Gods for the favor of allowing Lotor to live.

It was a battle he might yet lose, the anger still simmering in him when he heard the chapel's door open. Almost embarrassed, he hurriedly got up off his knees. He forced his expression to be neutral, Ryder turning at the sound of the approaching footsteps. The sight of princess Allura was almost enough to have his expression twist in shock. A rapid blinking of his eyes was the only betrayal of his surprise, Ryder staring at her and the Drule that accompanied her.

The silver eyed Vorlac was looking sheepish, as though he realized it wasn't that good an idea to have brought the princess into the Drules' holy place. He didn't mouth an apology though, shrugging his shoulders as he spoke. "She wanted to see."

Allura was indeed seeing, the girl looking around her with interest. Her eyes studied the holy scrolls that hung on each wall, the words written in the ancient, third version of the language his people eventually modified into modern Drule. There was no way Allura could hope to understand the prayers written on those scrolls, not when so many Drules themselves had forgotten how to speak that arcane tongue.

She lost interest with the scrolls soon enough, eyes flitting about to notice the framed picture near the front of the chapel. It glowed, being composed of colorful bits of refined lazon. It was an expensive piece of art, but one typical of the wealth the Drule's religion demanded. In actual temples, there were hundreds of such pictures, a fortune hanging on their very walls.

The lazon put together an image of a Goddess. THE Goddess who ruled over all the other deities of the Drules' version of heaven. She was a fiercesome looking creature to the eyes of a human, Allura seeming to shrink back a little at the sight of her smiling face. That smile of hers revealed row upon row of sharply pointed teeth, the Goddess looking savage. To a human she would be ugly, but the Drules thought her beautiful.

There was only one other thing of interest aside from the picture and the scrolls. And that was the statues and the offerings laid out at their feet. Allura's attention went to them, the girl walking closer to examine one of the statues up close. Ryder and Vorlac both kept a watchful eye on the princess, not wanting her to lay her hands on the statues. It was forbidden for someone who didn't worship these Gods to touch even the representations of the deities.

It was equally as forbidden for that someone to touch the offerings spread out on the pedestals, Ryder moving with lightning fast speed to grab Allura by the wrist. She gasped as he jerked her back, then gasped even louder at the look in his eyes. "I just wanted to..."

"You can look without touching." He told her sternly.

Vorlac chose to speak, as though trying to lessen the impact Ryder's stern words had had. "Those are offerings the crew have left for the Gods. Only a priest or a priestess can remove them."

Allura was jerking on her wrist, trying to get free of Ryder's grip. "Offerings?"

"It is a way to curry favor with our Gods." Vorlac explained. "They want their prayer to be answered."

Still struggling, Allura cast a glance over her shoulder at the statues and the many offerings laid out on the pedestals. "From the amount laid out there, I'd say they want that very badly."

"Yes, they do." Agreed Vorlac. "We've all been praying for the prince's recovery."

Allura's face showed her surprise. "You pray for him?"

"Did you think we would not?" Ryder asked her, watchful for her reaction. She glanced briefly at him, seeming to fidget in place. It made him all the more curious as to what was going through the princess' mind.

"I am surprised." She admitted at last.

"Oh?"

"I had heard that the Drule Gods are as vicious as the people that worship them. That they only favor those that are strong...and merciless." She was showing her ignorance, but then it was such a common thought many of those outside the Drule Empire shared.

"Did you think our Gods would not know mercy?" Ryder demanded. "That they don't answer prayers for healing and comfort just as readily as they answer prayers for success in battle?"

"Our Gods do not limit themselves to just one area of worship." Vorlac spoke, his tone gently chastising in response to Ryder's angry tone. "They are quick to reward the faithful, to reap benefits on the home, the heart, the soul...Some would say the reason the Doom Empire was so successful at expanding so quickly had to do with the prayers of millions upon millions of Drules."

"I don't believe in any Gods who would allow one group of people to subjugate another." Allura said in response to that.

"It doesn't matter if you believe in them. We Drules have enough faith for a million of you humans." Vorlac told her.

"It's hard to think of you Drule as devout worshippers..." Allura admitted. "Not when you commit so many sins."

Ryder abruptly let go of her wrist, the princess nearly falling over into the nearest pew. "And who decides they are sins?" He asked her. "Humans?" He snorted then. "Your kind has a violent history of wars...war fought on the issue of faith. Humans can be as blood thirsty as you say we Drule are. Neither people is entirely free of sin."

Her cheeks turned red, she was embarrassed by that. "I didn't expect a Drule to have studied human history..."

"We don't choose to remain ignorant of our enemies." Ryder retorted.

"We're only your enemies because you attacked us first. That you keep on attacking us!" Allura snapped, still red-faced and now angry. Ryder gave a nod of his head, acknowledging what she had said.

"Yes, I'll admit to that. Doom is Arus' enemy...is the enemy of many human worlds. That hasn't changed. It won't ever change so long as we have a leader like King Zarkon on the throne."

"And Lotor!" Allura quickly added. "He's just as bad as his father."

"How dare you!" Ryder's temper which had already been roused, surged hotter. He heard the princess gasp at the expression on his face, and felt Vorlac grab him by the arm. "His highness, the prince is NOTHING like his father. You would see that if you opened your eyes and actually looked around you."

"And just what am I supposed to see?" Allura demanded. "He kidnapped me. You HELPED him. You continue to help him! You've placed the safety of the galaxy in jeopardy...you won't even tell me if the planned bloodshed at the embassy happened or not! And you expect me to what? See some different side of Lotor? To believe he's not as cruel, not as vicious and ill tempered as his father? As greedy and grasping, as big a monster?"

Ryder slowly counted to ten in his mind, fighting not to lose control of his temper completely. "Have you learned nothing in these last two days?" He demanded. "You've spoken with many of the people onboard this ship. You've seen firsthand the admiration they hold for the prince! The friendship and loyalty they freely give him. Do you honestly think so many would be praying for him to recover if he was just like Zarkon?"

"Well, yes!" Allura retorted hotly. "You Drule do not respect anything but ruthless bullies! You admire violence, thrive on blood shed. You're all so twisted about inside, that a criminal-a sinner like Lotor is worshipped by you!"

"You try my patience princess." Ryder growled.

"And you try mine!" Allura quickly retorted, with a haughty toss of her hair.

It was Vorlac who spoke next, the gray skinned Drule trying to calm both Allura and Ryder down. "Your highness, things are not as simple as the black and white view you hold of the world. There exists shades of gray, where neither good nor all bad remain. Yes, the prince has done some terrible things in the eyes of the humans, but he's also done some good."

"I don't believe it."

"Or you won't?" challenged Ryder. The princess glared in response, her eyes seeming as angry as Ryder's.

"Ask anyone onboard this ship why they chose to follow Lotor, why they continue to throw their future in with his." Vorlac urged her. "You'll find tales quite different from what you expect..."

"Or are you too scared that your perception of Prince Lotor will be drastically altered?" Ryder asked, his tone snide.

She was slow in answering, expression more troubled than anything. "There's only one thing that scares me...and that is the prince himself..."

"You might find the fear lessening then if you learned the crew's stories." Vorlac told her. She looked doubtful of that, and Vorlac sighed. "Please...what harm will it do...? If you're so certain there is nothing of merit in the prince, nothing that will change your mind about him, than it costs you nothing to listen."

She began to chew at her bottom lip, betraying her nerves. But at last Allura nodded. "Very well, I will listen."

Ryder couldn't feel relief to hear that. The conversation with Allura had left him drained once his anger had faded. "Take her around to those willing to share their stories." He ordered.

"Willing?" She questioned sharply.

"Some may not be willing to broach such personal topics with a stranger." Ryder explained. "But I believe you will find more than enough willing to share their experiences with you."

Allura didn't look like she believed this would make any difference. But she nodded all the same, stepping past Ryder to follow Vorlac out of the chapel. Ryder waited until they had left before resuming his kneeling position. But it wasn't prayer that was on his mind, but the princess of Arus. He wondered if listening to the Drules' stories would be enough to get her to change her view of prince Lotor. Even just a little. He had doubts on that, and all because the princess seemed determined to hold onto her hatred and fear.

To Be Continued...

Michelle


	8. Chapter 8

The call he had been waiting for had finally come. And not a moment too late as far as Ryder was concerned. The prince was awake, and more importantly he was lucid. The worst of his fever had left him, his temperature taking a drastic drop from the high hundred it had previously been. The prince felt recovered enough to start asking for Allura, and was rumored to be pouting that the nurse didn't immediately leave to fulfill his request.

Ryder's spirits had lifted to hear that, taking it as proof that the prince was well on his way to a full recovery. He hurried through the ship's corridors, and just the look in his eyes was enough to get the other Drules talking. It wouldn't be long before the news spread, the people's mood turning from somber to elated. And all because Lotor was returned to them, having escaped death's grasp a second time.

When he entered the cabin, he could hear Lotor's voice coming from the bedroom. It had hoarse quality to it, his tone not as strong sounding as it normally was. But it was apparent he was alert, and more than a little annoyed by the fuss the doctor and the nurse were showing him.

"I feel fine." Lotor was insisting as Ryder opened the bedroom door. "There's no need for any of this. The best medicine for me will be a quick shower and a chance to be alone with Allura..."

The doctor insisted on preparing an injection anyway, one to bolster Lotor's system. The nurse, meanwhile, was encouraging the prince to drink a tall glass of water. An encouragement Lotor was ignoring, even when the doctor sighed and pointed out the prince had become badly dehydrated from these last three and a half days of suffering. Ryder hid a smile, knowing water was among the least favorite of things the prince preferred to drink. He had to be feeling better if he was so intent on giving the nurse a hard time.

"Do get on with it then..." Lotor sighed as though the doctor's attempts was a great burden on him. When Ryder let the door click close, it drew the prince's attention to him, Lotor looking that way with a hopeful smile. It turned down at the corners when he realized it wasn't Allura who had come to visit him. Ryder couldn't resist teasing him, trying not to laugh as he spoke.

"I know I'm not as pretty a sight as the princess, but really! Do I deserve such a depressed look? And after I ran all the way here?"

Lotor managed a sheepish look that faded to exasperation as the nurse insistently pressed the cup to his lips. He shooed her off with his hands, but looked at Ryder as he spoke. "Sorry Ryder. Just was...hoping for someone else." The nurse sighed, and looked to the doctor for help. "Where is Allura?" Lotor wanted to know, then let out a surprised yelp when the needle was injected into him.

Ryder nearly laughed at the sound Lotor had made, but somehow managed to refrain from teasing him about it. "Allura is fine." Ryder was quick to assure him. "She's mingling with the crew...getting to know more about them...and about you."

"Me?"

"Yes." Ryder nodded. "I thought it might change her out look of you if she got to hear some of the stories of you during your better behavior..." He saw Lotor was uncomfortable with that, and quickly hurried to reassure him. "Don't worry so. No one will mention anything about Zarkon or his treatment of you. The others know to keep quiet about that...even if not all agree with it." The last he muttered, but Lotor heard it all the same.

"I don't want her pitying me."

"I know you don't. But maybe pity is not what she'd feel if she learned the whole story." Ryder watched as the doctor began to pack his bag, the man seeming disgruntled by his patient's bedside manner. "It's a risk I know...but we don't know how she will react for certain."

"It's precisely why I don't want to chance it." Lotor retorted. "If there's a chance, even a slight one that she'll take to pitying me..." He shuddered as though it was a fate worse than death. "There are worse things than her pity..."

"Such as?" prodded Ryder when it became apparent Lotor wasn't going to finish that thought.

Lotor seemed hesitant to answer, the prince turning grateful at the interruption the doctor offered. "You're not completely in the clear just yet." He said. "I am advising you remain in bed for the remainder of our trip." A tightlipped smile from the doctor. "I know I won't be able to get you to adhere to it any longer once we reach planet Simestia."

"Damn straight you won't!" Lotor grumbled. No one laughed in response. The prince's health was simply too serious a matter.

"You have to be careful, your highness." Continued the Doctor. "You need adequate rest. You weren't fully recovered the last time when you insisted on taking the lead of the mission. You nearly paid the price for your stubbornness."

Lotor seemed properly chastised by those words. "I understand doctor."

"I am going to be closely monitoring what you eat for the next few days." The Doctor told him. "I'll be sure to have the cooks prepare you only meals rich in nutrients, foods that will help boost your body to a swift recovery." He took on a stern look, actually daring to wag a finger at the prince. "That means no sneaking behind my back, and no wine!"

"No wine?" Lotor exclaimed, aghast at the thought. "Then what am I supposed to drink?"

"Water." The doctor almost smiled at Lotor's groan. "Juice. Anything but the usual booze and beer you prefer." Lotor grumbled something inaudible under his breath as the doctor turned to Ryder. "Call me if there's any change, no matter how small it may seem."

"Of course doctor." Ryder reassured him.

"Come along Qualenn." The doctor urged the nurse to follow him, the pretty female putting down the glass with a sigh. The prince had yet to take even one sip of the liquid despite the nurse's best urgings. Ryder wondered if Lotor would have given Allura as hard a time, but quickly dismissed that thought when he realized the princess was more apt to throw the water in Lotor's face than anything else.

Lotor waited until the door in the cabin's outer room slammed shut, before attempting to get out of bed. "Whoa there!" Ryder exclaimed, hurrying forward to stop him. "Are you sure you should be up so soon?"

"I need a shower..." Lotor seemed a little unsteady on his feet, actually holding onto Ryder's arms for support. "I don't want to stink of sweat and medicine when I see Allura."

"There's no rush." Ryder argued. "Allura's not going anywhere..." Much as the princess might wish otherwise.

"There's every reason to rush!" protested Lotor. "Ryder, I've wasted DAYS in that bed."

"It couldn't be helped, you were sick..."

"Regardless, that was time better spent elsewhere." He sighed, and allowed Ryder to force him to sit back on the bed. "I had plans for that time Ryder. I wanted to work with Allura, to help her get over her fear of me. To help her become used to idea of the two of us being together. Not as my captive, but in the way of a man with his wife..."

"Somehow I don't think a few days would have been enough for that." Ryder murmured, thinking now of Allura's behavior with the other Drules.

"It would have been a start though." Lotor told him. "I had hopes that by the time we arrive at the mansion, she'd be..."

"You hope for a miracle if you think she'd be willing in just a few days time!" interrupted Ryder.

"Maybe. But maybe she wouldn't have fought against the thought of us so badly." Lotor smiled, but it lacked humor to it. "I've been told I am very charming."

"Somehow I don't think your charm is enough to get the princess to fall into bed with you that fast." Ryder noted how Lotor seemed to deflate at that thought. "At least not from what I've seen..."

"Oh?" Lotor turned curious. "What have you seen?"

"Well, for one thing, she wasn't exactly thrilled when you collapsed on top of her!" Lotor's brow furrowed, the prince trying to remember. "It appears you were in the midst of pinning her to your bed, when the fever got to be too much for you."

"I did that...? I don't remember..."

"Oh yeah, I saw it with my own eyes. She was thoroughly pinned beneath you. All that soft flesh pressed against yours." He couldn't resist teasing Lotor, the prince looking more and more upset that he couldn't remember that moment. He reached out to pat Lotor's shoulder. "It's probably a good thing you can't remember. She was pretty upset by it all..."

"Was she worried about me? Even just a little?" Lotor asked, tone hopeful.

"Couldn't' say for sure." Ryder lied. "She's got so many concerns...the least of all being the embassy situation."

"Have we gotten any word on that?" Lotor asked, and Ryder nodded.

"Yeah, it's been all over the airwaves. There was a shoot out at the embassy...many people died, but not nearly enough on the Alliance's side. Your father will be pissed that his plan failed..." Lotor shivered at that, surely imagining what his father would have done to him in retaliation for that failure. "At best, only one or two key members of the Alliance were killed before the rest were rushed to safety. The deaths on their side was mainly the embassy soldiers that attempted to protect them."

"I see." Lotor said, slowly processing this. "Allura must have been relieved to hear that."

"Haven't told her yet." Ryder watched the surprise blossom in Lotor's eyes. "I thought you should be the one to tell her about it." Lotor nodded in response. But Ryder didn't smile. "There's more..."

"More?"

"Yes. The replacement Haggar picked out was found among the bodies of the dead Drules." Lotor seemed to tense up in anticipation. "Congratulations your highness. According to the rest of the galaxy, you're officially a dead man."

"Good." Lotor sighed in relief. "No one will come looking for me now...not when they think I've already died."

"Ah...about that..." Ryder hated to ruin Lotor's moment of relief. But there was things he had to know, concerns he had to address. "The Alliance still hasn't released the bodies to the Empire...Haggar is close to panicking." And with good reason. They had left it up to Haggar to dispose of the body, to burn up the remains before anyone could closely examine the replacement and discover the deception she had wrought with her magic. As it stood now, the bodies were in the Alliance's hands, refused burial rights as the two factions argued over their dead.

"Your father is livid over this." Added Ryder, and Lotor snorted.

"He's only sorry he didn't get to kill me himself."

"That's probably true. But it still presents a problem. If the Alliance discovers the necklace...if they remove it from your replacement, you know what will happen. The illusion will fade, they'll know it wasn't you that died at the embassy." Ryder tried to keep his tone even, but some urgency slipped in regardless.

Lotor sighed, and made a face. "So we're pressed for time..." He grimaced. "I don't suppose we can just skip over planet Simestia and go straight to the next galaxy?"

"No can do." Ryder retorted. "Even if this ship was equipped to travel that far, we still don't have the paperwork in place for our new lives. "

Lotor swore. "Damn. How much longer will that hold us up?"

"Couldn't really tell you." Hedged Ryder, walking the tight rope between truth and lie. And all because the Drules didn't want Lotor to leave the Denubian Galaxy. Nor did they want him to turn his back on the Empire and his throne. They were making plans behind Lotor's back, gathering allies and accumulating armies and the wealth needed to maintain such a large group of soldiers. And all with the intent to do in Zarkon, and place Lotor on the throne in his place.

Haggar was working behind the scenes, keeping a close watch on Zarkon. She would forge many of the alliances Lotor would need to take the throne from his father, the witch gaining for the prince the political and financial backing needed for such a coup. It was up to Ryder and the Drules that traveled with Lotor, to somehow convince him not to turn his back on everything.

Right now Ryder didn't have one damn idea on how to accomplish that. The best thing he and the others had come up with was to lie to the prince, to cause delay after delay once they reached planet Simestia. The hope was Lotor would be too distracted with Allura to become properly suspicious of what they were doing but there was always the risk of being found out.

Ryder even harbored hope that through Lotor's association with Allura, he would come to be healed. To understand that what had been done to him wasn't his fault. That maybe Lotor would come to feel something other than shame, something like anger that would motivate him to face his father. Face him and win, taking the throne, and ending Zarkon's miserable life.

Ryder knew that Lotor was strong. Perhaps stronger than the prince gave himself credit for. He had seen what a capable leader Lotor could make during their years that passed after their graduation from the Drule Academy. He was smart, quick on feet, and decisive. He commanded respect and loyalty from those who worked under him. He should have been flourishing in his life. Instead he had been brought low by his father, the man quick to insult and even quicker to physically beat the prince. Zarkon had been tearing Lotor's confidence down for years, ever since he was a little boy.

The only years Lotor had been free of Zarkon's abuse was the years he had spent at the Drule Military Academy, and a scant three years after. Those three years had been spent on the outskirts of the Denubian Galaxy, fighting Doom's wars. Winning them. Lotor's track record had been excellent until it came time to deal with Arus, and then everything had began to fall apart.

Ryder felt Arus, and more importantly Voltron, would not be a problem for Lotor and Doom any longer. Not when they had the princess as their prisoner. With Mara playing at pretending to be Allura, she would be able to search out any weaknesses among the Voltron Force. She'd use those weaknesses against them, turn the Voltron Force against each other if she could. If all went according to plan, the Arusians would never discover the deception until after it was too late. Lotor would make his miraculous return, claim the Empire from his father, and take Allura for his bride.

There was much to do, many things to calculate, plans to fall into place. They didn't have the luxury of time, not with the Alliance hanging onto what they thought was the prince's body. It was one thing no one, not even Haggar had anticipated, and it put everything into jeopardy. Ryder had expected to have at least a few months to work on Lotor, now he feared they didn't even have a few days.

Lotor was frowning, though he couldn't have had a clue as to what Ryder was currently thinking. Ryder once again reached to pat his shoulder, forcing a smile. "It takes time to create new identities and lives for as many Drules as we have brought with us. You don't want to rush this Lotor...not when the smallest of slip ups could reveal the truth of who you and Allura are..."

"You're right." Agreed Lotor, shrugging off Ryder's hand. "I suppose I can wait if it means securing a safe future for us all." He rose up off the bed, and this time was more steady on his feet. "Go...bring Allura here...I need to see her."

"Need and want aren't the same thing and you know it."

"Ryder..." Lotor growled in annoyance.

"Okay, okay. I'll go get her." Surrendered Ryder with a laugh. "You go freshen up in the meantime." He stayed long enough to make sure Lotor really was steady on his feet, Ryder not wanting the prince to collapse the minute his back was turned. But it became apparent the prince was fine, if a little slow moving.

Leaving the cabin, Ryder would head straight to one of the ship's few recreational areas. It was there, under the watchful eye of Vorlac, that he had left Allura. The princess had been suffering from what the humans called cabin fever, the girl sick of hiding in her room. My room, Ryder quickly corrected, wondering if now that Lotor was recovered if he'd be able to reclaim the room for his own use.

He'd very much like that, sure to appreciate the room far more than the princess had ever. She hadn't even had the courtesy to thank him, seeing the room as nothing more than a fancier type of prison.

Grumbling to himself about the princesses lack of good manners, he entered the recreational room. It was comfortable sort of room, with plenty of couches and chairs spread throughout. Cushions were ever where, and not just on the furniture. They lay in piles on the floor for those who were more comfortable laying then sitting. Some gaming tables were set up, with a wide assortment of different types of games to be played. There was even a large holo unit in one corner, where movies were played at regular intervals.

But the holo wasn't turned on at this point, even though Allura and several Drules sat stationed before it. Instead they were talking, Allura listening with an intent look on her face. Ryder drifted closer, catching Vorlac's eye. The gray skinned Drule lifted a scaled eyebrow in question, and Ryder gave a slight nod in response. Vorlac seemed to relax instantly, the corners of his mouth turning up in a smile.

No one noticed the change in Vorlac. The group with Allura was too focused on telling her their stories. Those tales of how they had met the prince, how they had become friends. Or why they owed such loyalty to a man Allura had called a monster. Ryder didn't know if it was having any effect on Allura, but ever since the day before, in the ship's chapel, she had been meeting with the Drules that were willing to talk about so personal a thing with her.

Right now a woman was talking. Although she was colored several hues of red and rust brown, her looks closely resembled Vorlac's type of Drule. Her eyes were blinking rapidly, the woman trying not to cry as she spoke in a low tone. She was telling the princess of her situation back on Doom, of a time some months ago when it had been just her and her father left to struggle to survive.

"My father had been a soldier for the Empire..." The female continued. "He was a good man, decorated with high honors for his various accomplishments in service to Doom."

Ryder already knew the story, knew how the father had been badly injured in a fight with Voltron. His ship had been destroyed when the Arusian's defender had torn it apart with it's hands. The woman's father had just barely managed to evacuate in an escape pod, but stray bits of flaming rubble had slammed into the vessel. It had knocked the pod off course, the Drules inside crashing into a forest. It had been a tough impact, many sustaining multiple injuries including the woman's father. But she spoke without accusation, simply stating it as fact that Voltron had inadvertently caused her father's injuries.

"He was no longer able to serve in the military.' The woman continued. "He was left paralyzed from the waist down...for all that he had accomplished, all the medals he had earned, it didn't make a difference when it came to procuring work for him. He was just one of many in a similar situation, unable to fight, unable to find meaningful work on our home world. We couldn't have afforded to move even if we wanted to..."

The Drule female paused to brush at her eyes, her expression growing increasingly upset. "My father sank into an ever deepening depression...we had to sell off all his medals just to put food on our plates..." Her shoulders began to shake, and one man reached over to touch her hand in a show of support. "I began to seriously consider selling my body in order to bring income to the family...When my father found out what I was thinking of doing, he was furious. But more than that, he felt helpless. He...he..."

Her voice broke on a sob, Allura leaning forward, eyes intent on the Drule female. "What did he do?"

"He was a proud man...he couldn't bear the thought of his daughter being brought so low by the situation he felt was his fault." She shuddered. "I should have never left him alone. He still had his guns...he used one on himself, tried to fry his brain with lasers."

"Tried to?" Allura asked, and the woman nodded.

"Perhaps it was some act of the Gods...if he had used a higher setting, if his aim had been more true, he would have been dead." She sniffled then looked embarrassed at the sound she had made. "Instead he was merely brain damaged...In one act of desperation he had sealed both our fates. I would have to sell myself to afford care for my father."

Allura didn't look like she understood where this story was going. The woman had broken down into tears, surely reliving the pain of the moment she had come home and found her father laying on the floor.

"It was Prince Lotor who saved Tamestra from a life in the brothel." Ryder spoke now, drawing everyone's attention to him. "The prince had learned, almost too late, of what had befallen the soldier and his family." Ryder did not smile, looking more frustrated than anything. "Records aren't always kept as detailed as we'd like, people get lost in the shuffle...Lotor actively seeks to help those veterans of the war, those who fought the good fight only to have Doom turn their back on them."

"He's established trust funds for them..." added Vorlac. "Out of his own private fortunes at times. He's strong armed many a noble into contributing money for the veterans as well..."

"Why would he do that?" Allura wondered out loud.

"You should ask yourself more why he would not." Countered Ryder.

"Princess..." Tamestra had recovered enough to seize Allura's hands, gripping them tightly. "The prince made sure my father was well taken care of until the day he died. But more than that, he took care of me too. He found me employment, and not just me. Whole families that would have ended up on the streets if not for the princes' intervention..."

"One of the downsides to an empire run so heavily on slave power is there aren't as many jobs available to the free folks." Vorlac explained. "It's either go into the military or end up starving on the streets."

"Doesn't that tell you that what the Empire does is wrong then?" demanded Allura, struggling to extract her hands from Tamersta's grip. "Why doesn't anyone fight against it? Why does your people not rebel against their leaders?"

"Rebellion is never an easy course." Ryder told her. "It doesn't put food on the rebel's plates, and doesn't help pay for their needs. Unlike a job in the Empire's military..."

"Change won't come as long as you stick to what is easy!" Allura retorted. "You have to fight for it...make sacrifices..." She fell back against the cushions when Tamestra abruptly let go of her hands.

"We're working to do just that." She said. "We're working in our own ways...trying to..."

"That's enough Tamerstra!" Ryder snapped out, voice sharp. She lowered her eyes with apparent guilt, and looked away from Allura.

"Trying to what?" Allura wanted to know, but Ryder made the attempt to distract her from this line of questioning.

"The prince has awakened." An unreadable look flickered in the princess' eyes. Ryder couldn't tell if that was fear, or even relief she had briefly expressed. "He's asking to see you..."

"To see me?" Now her look was wary. "What for?"

"It was not my place to inquire." Ryder retorted. "Will you come?"

"Do I even have a choice" She asked.

"No." He told her, and saw her face flush with anger. "You may have gotten away with not visiting the prince for these past few days, but no longer. It's time you accept that you will be spending much time in his presence..."

Allura grumbled something unintelligible under her breath. Vorlac pulled Allura to her feet when it became apparent she wasn't going to move. "Are you so cold, so impassive as not to be affected by what you've heard from these people?" Ryder demanded once they were out in the hall.

Allura lifted her gaze to his, blue eyes defiant, words bold. "It's sad stories these people tell me. But even a lifetime of good won't make up for the evil Lotor and the Empire have done, let alone the few nice acts he does out of some twisted expression of guilt."

"You think you know everything..." Ryder hissed. "But you're too blinded by your own hatred and fears to truly understand what goes on around you!" He stalked forward at that, leaving the princess to gasp and gape behind him. He was angry, but more than that he was disappointed. He wondered if anything could possible move the princess' heart towards seeing Lotor in a different light, into not turning this whole adventure into nothing more than more heartache and misery for the prince.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Wade Wells, thank you! Glad you want to give the whole story a try. Since writing you I wrote two more Mara and the Voltron Force chapters. Yay! It's alost time to write another for that part of the story too...just got two chapters of different characters POV to write first. I hope to get some writing done tonight, since yesterday I totally crashed. I was so tired, I passed out, and didn't get to do any writing. =/

Ah...I'm not sure if Allura liked Lotor like you said...I mean, especially in the early chapters. She was rather afraid of him...(A lot afraid actually...)Her panic attacks come into play later, and it doesn't all have to do with this overactive imagination where Lotor is concerned! ^^;; Man...so many abused people in this story...Seems like the Voltron Force is the only ones who are not! ^^'' And yes, Lotor is pretty damaged/broken in this story. Glad you liked how I did their kidnapping/escape plan. :)


	9. Chapter 9

Ryder's words were angry, holding a hostile chastisement to them. It left Allura shocked, her mouth droping open as she watched the Drule with the blue streaked hair stalk away. Even worse, her cheeks began to burn, Allura finding some humiliation in the exchange she had just shared with the angry Drule. She didn't like feeling this way, didn't like the uncertainty his words had brought to her.

She might have stood in the corridor outside the recreational area for hours yet, but then a voice came from behind her, clearing his throat. Allura's cheeks reddened even further, the girl realizing Vorlac had been standing there all this time. She went instantly on the defensive, turning to look at her escort. "I don't think I know everything..." His expression was cool, almost disdainful. It riled her upset further, Allura turning insistent. "I don't. Least of all about you Drules..."

"Oh?" Vorlac gestured for her to walk with him, the man intent on leading her presumedly to Lotor's cabin. "Then what is the reason behind so narrow a view that you hold?"

"I'm sure you can guess." Allura told him. "It's this war between our worlds. It's given me reason to be...mistrustful."

"Princess, you're more than just mistrustful." Vorlac pointed out. "You're downright fearful. Dare I even say it, you hate us. You hate a whole race based on the actions of a few. And that isn't right..."

"Is it any more right what you Drules have done to Arus?" Allura demanded. "What you Drules continue to do to my people?"

"First of all, you have got to stop lumping us all in as the ones attacking your world." Vorlac snapped, body turning stiff. "Not all of us have fought in the military. Many of us have never been to Arus...many of us never will go to that world..."

"But you reap the benefits of Doom's conquests! It's not just Arus who suffers! There are other worlds who also have fallen victim to the Drule...too many to count!" Allura retorted. "Even if you never lifted a hand in conquest to those world's invasions, what about the slaves brought back to Doom?" She glared at him them. "Enough slaves for every man, woman, and child to have a slave of their own!"

Vorlac let out a mean snicker of sound. "Is that what they say? Life might certainly be easier if every one on Doom could afford to house and feed slaves. But the reality is quite different. Zarkon and the nobles keep many of the slaves for their own use, send them scurrying off to do hard labor at little cost to their pockets. You heard the stories...the poverty we can attest to that so many ordinary citizens of Doom suffer. Poverty caused by the slaves taking our jobs. Why would the nobles hire free citizens when they could easily work a slave for longer hours and at little cost to them?"

"No Princess..." He said, when she huffed angrily in response to that question of his. "Doom is hardly a wealth glutted place. Only a few thrive, and the rest do as they can to manage. I dare say if our Empire didn't rely so much on slave power, they wouldn't have the coin needed to amass such large armies. Our purses are not lined with gold, our land is not a paradise free of suffering..."

"Next you'll be telling me no one onboard this ship has ever kept a slave." Allura muttered. Vorlac just looked at her, and her eyes widened in shock. "No...surely not. Even the prince has kept slaves...I've heard he has whole harems of women taken for his pleasure..."

"You'd do well to find out what is fact and what is fiction before making snap judgments." Vorlac retorted. "The prince has no harems.."

"But slaves then...he's made use of them?" Allura hated that she sounded so uncertain when she asked that.

"It is unavoidable in the castle." Vorlac admitted reluctantly. That admittance made Allura feel oddly triumphant, as though it was confirming every bad thing she had been led to believe about Prince Lotor.

"I bet they suffer worse than the slaves who work your mines." Allura shuddered then, thinking of King Zarkon.

"It is a different kind of hardship, yes..." agreed Vorlac.

"And you do nothing to stop it." Allura sighed. "None of you, for all your sad stories and hero worship of Lotor, do anything to rebel against the status quo." She glanced over her shoulder at Vorlac, just in time to see the Drule twitch with annoyance.

"It is as Ryder said. We are a small group. Any resistance we offered at this point would be crushed in an instant."

"Then why don't you appeal to the Alliance?" Allura demanded, pausing in the hallway to stare at Vorlac. "They would gladly lend you aid..."

"At what cost?" Vorlac asked. "They hate us as much as you do...they would ruin Doom under the guise of freeing us from Zarkon's tyranny. We might end up worse off than we are now..."

"Or you might end up better off..." Allura retorted. But she couldn't quite deny the hate he accused her of. And the troubled her anew. The whole experience talking to the other Drules, learning their stories had left her unsettled. She had heard far more talk of suffering than Allura wanted to believe possible for the Drules. Families torn apart by the war, by injuries, by poverty. Even worse, several of the Drules that had been willing to talk to Allura, told stories of how Voltron had ruined their lives. That upset Allura, for she had never considered the impact the robot was having on the Drules and their families.

People killed by the robot, homes destroyed by it. People injured trying to escape the battles between Doom and Voltron. There was even talk of wealth Voltron had apprehended from Doom, wealth that could have been used to better some of the Drule citizens lives. Allura could remember the time they had stolen treasure from a downed cargo ship. Allura had reasoned they could use the money they apprehended from Doom to buy medicine and better medical equipment for the hospitals on planet Arus. She had never considered that her actions would lead others to suffer, the princess assuming Doom was so wealthy that this theft would hardly be felt.

But it had been, someone telling her of how the missing money kept a whole city starving. Citizens had rioted in the streets, the soldiers forced to open fire on their own people. What limited rations had been made available were quickly sent elsewhere as a lesson against those who had rioted. It didn't matter that children would starve and die, Zarkon had just wanted to make sure none of his kingdom's people ever took it in their heads to rebel in such a manner.

Allura had heard many stories this last day and a half. And though she tried to harden her heart against feeling for these people, a kernel of sympathy had been planted. She could admit when someone had been wronged, when they had been dealt a harsh hand. But she didn't have to like feeling this way. And she certainly didn't have to adopt the same hero worship these Drules had for Prince Lotor!

"I still think you all have blinders on when it comes to Prince Lotor." She said at last, as they drew near to the prince's cabin. Vorlac made a noise to show he was listening, though it wasn't a particularly happy sound. "He may on occasion do some nice things, but ultimately...he leads the invasions to conquer new worlds. He continues the cycles of poverty and violence."

She felt oddly satisfied that Vorlac had no retort for her statement, the silver eyed Drule grimacing as he stepped past her to open the cabin's door. Allura had to be pushed inside, the girl hesitating too long at the threshold. Lotor was not present in the outer chamber, though a meal had been laid out for them both. She turned to question Vorlac, but the Drule was already slamming the door shut behind him.

Allura sighed as the door's lock was engaged. She wasn't surprised they had locked her in with Lotor. Nor was she happy about the situation, Allura stalking over to the table and uncovering plates. She hoped to find a knife amidst the silverware, but the food had already been cut apart. In fact, aside from a spoon for a bland looking soup, there wasn't a knife or a fork to be found.

Letting out an annoyed hiss, Allura began to pace the room. She wasn't content to just sit and wait for Lotor. Nor was she prepared to enter the bedroom and search for him there. Not with the memory of how he had pinned her against his desk, and then carried her to his bed. She shivered, remembering how his hands had touched her legs, stroking up and down in an insistent massage. That was something that had to be avoided, Allura determined not to let Lotor lay his hands on her again.

The problem with that resolve was she had no way to enforce it. Lotor proved as much when he stepped out of the bedroom. His face seemed to light up with joy at the sight of her, a smile turning the corners of his mouth up. He was far too happy to see her, and it only increased Allura's agitation. Especially when he walked up to her, his arms snaking around her in a fierce embrace.

"Lotor!" She gasped out against his chest, starting to struggle. He was possessive, holding her close and taking the time to smell her hair. This close Allura couldn't help but breathe in the fresh, clean smell of Lotor, the prince having just recently stepped out of a shower. Even his hair was still wet, and slicked back over his ears.

"I missed you." Lotor told her, seeming not to care that she was wriggling against him in an effort to get free. Allura looked up into his joy filled face, and frowned.

"I heard you were too out of it to even be aware of anything or anyone."

"It still didn't stop me from dreaming about you." Was his reply. Some of his joy though, had dimmed. It made Allura wonder what kind of dreams he had had. Not that she would ask him though. She wasn't ready to get that personal with Lotor.

"Let me go." She said instead, and Lotor merely tightened his hold on her.

"No, not yet." He said, with a shake of his head. "It feels good to hold you...like you belong here with me..."

"I most certainly do not!" Allura protested alarmed. "If anything, I belong on Arus, among my own people." She glared up at him. "People you've stolen me from."

"I find I do not mind being a thief if the treasure is you, Allura." Lotor retorted.

"Really Lotor, let me go." Again he shook his head no, and Allura took an exaggerated breath. "I can't breath with the way you're crushing me to you!" It was a lie, but he didn't need to know that, Allura pretending to wheeze. Lotor looked at her a moment in concern, than was reluctantly letting her go. She immediately tried to put distance between them, but his hand snagged hold of her arm. It seemed he would not tolerate her moving out of reach. A fact that had Allura annoyed.

She covered well though, looking him over. He seemed to stand taller for her regard, his smile brightening another notch. "You are recovered?" Allura asked, noting how clear his eyes looked now.

Lotor seemed pleased by that question, as though he was misunderstanding polite inquiry for real concern. "I feel better than I have in days! The doctor's all but given me a clean bill of health..."

"Really?"

"Well...almost." Lotor admitted with a sigh. "He's got this silly little notion that I ought to remain in bed until we get to where we're going." His hand stroked down the length of her arm, leaving her flesh to shiver and break out into goose bumps. The reaction was even more pronounced when he lifted her hand up to his face, Lotor brushing kisses over her knuckles. Lotor maintained eye contact as he did that, Allura feeling her cheeks grow warm in response.

"And just where are we going?" She asked, fighting not to look away. Allura felt it a matter or pride. She would not give in to any embarrassment Lotor might cause in her. It wasn't an easy battle, Lotor flicking out his tongue to taste between her fingers. Allura thought she heard herself gasp in response, more shocked than anything at what he had done.

She didn't forget her question, though Allura felt the more pressing matter was getting her hand away from Lotor. She began to tug and pull, noting how Lotor's fingers tightened around her wrist. It seemed he was more than recovered, and ready to resume his earlier harassment of her.

"Lotor..."

"You taste good Allura." Crooned Lotor, licking her again. "All salty and sweet."

She wasn't happy to hear that, and began violently trying to pull her hand free. Lotor made a croon of sound, as though trying to calm her down. Allura just continued her attempts to pull free, not caring if she hurt herself in the process.

"Careful..." hissed Lotor, admonishing her. "You'll hurt yourself."

"Then let go!" Allura exclaimed, feeling close to panicking. She didn't like him touching her. Not brief caresses or prolonged grasps. And she found she especially did not like him doing something as lewd as licking her hand. Allura found it improper, and just one step closer to Lotor attempting to have his way with her. The situation became worse when Lotor pulled her to him, the prince lifting her up off the floor. Allura began to breathe funny, her fright making her imagination go wild.

_~So this is how it happens.~ _Allura thought to herself. _~This is how he...~_ She couldn't finish the thought, eyes welling with tears. She couldn't stop them, they dripped down her cheeks as Lotor carried her. She wasn't draped over both arms, more standing than anything in his hold. Her feet dangled just a few inches off the floor, Lotor holding her so that she was just about even to gaze into his eyes.

Allura saw herself reflected in his golden gaze, her face making no effort to hide her upset. Lotor's expression was schooled not to betray his thoughts, the prince effortlessly carrying her forward. But it was not to the bedroom he took her, though Allura felt cushions at her back as he lowered her down on something soft. She continued to wheeze and pant, hyperventilating in her panic.

"Shh...easy now..." Lotor murmured, his hand cupping her right cheek. He used his thumb to brush some of her tears away, Lotor leaning in to press a kiss against her forehead. Her hands came up, pressing into his chest in an attempt to ward him off. It was pitiful how weak she felt, Lotor easily pressing into her palms, ignoring her hands' attempts to shove him back.

"St...stop..." Allura managed to grit out, and Lotor gave her a puzzled look.

"I'm not doing anything wrong."

She tried to laugh at that, and it came out a choked sound. Did he really believe that? But she could see by the look on his face that he did. He truly believed he had a right to touch her like this, to manhandle her down onto the nearest piece of furniture and attempt whatever it was he was attempting. It didn't register with Allura that he wasn't ripping off her clothes, the maid's dress remaining intact.

In fact, the only thing Lotor was doing was kneeling before her, his one hand caressing her wet cheek. His touch made it impossible for her to relax, Allura feeling her tears flow faster as a direct result of her heightened agitation. A strangled gasp escaped her when the prince leaned into her. He was intent on her tears, his tongue darting out to lap at her wet cheek. It tickled in the oddest way, but Allura felt no urge to laugh, just staring bemusedly at him. A second later she would break completely, giving in to huge gut wrenching sobs that had Lotor cradling her against his chest.

He'd make soothing noises, his hands running down her back. But he made no move to undo the buttons of the maid's uniform, Lotor's touch meant to be comforting rather than sexual. She shook in his arms, trying to muffle her sobs, more than a little embarrassed he had gotten her to break down like this. But she couldn't stop crying, not completely, not yet.

She'd keep right on crying, vaguely hearing Lotor murmuring things to her. It sounded like a lot of Drule gibberish to her, but his tone was a soft lilt. In his own way he was trying to comfort her, and her sobbing lessened enough for Allura to try and make out the words. Soon enough her attempts at concentrating on his words, had her sobbing stop completely though Allura felt no less embarrassed over what had happened.

She immediately tried to jerk out of Lotor's arms, the prince once again turning possessive. His fingers found their way into her hair, which had remained loose. No one had thought to return her pins to her, either not caring or assuming she would somehow use the items against them. Allura thought that absurd, knowing at best she could only use the pins to pick a lock or two.

"There now..." Lotor's smile was hesitant, the prince slowly easing her against the cushions. She had been too focused on him to realize it was a couch he had laid her down on, Allura struggling to remain upright. But the prince's strength won out over hers, Allura being forced down against the pillows. He continued to smile, his one hand playing with her hair. "That wasn't so bad."

She blinked confused at him. Was he joking? Allura had been frightened out of her mind, her assumptions running wild as to what she had thought he was about to do to her. How could he think anything that caused such a panic in her was a good thing?

One last stroke of her hair, and then Lotor was tapping a finger on her nose. She blinked in response, and his smile became more certain. "Next time you won't start crying when I hold you." He seemed confidant of that too. So confidant her jaw dropped, Allura wondering how he could think that. Her fear of him hadn't lessened, and if anything she was even more wary of Lotor and his intentions.

"It's a start..." continued Lotor, the Drule seeming content to do the talking for them both. "I know we're a bit behind on schedule..."

"Schedule...?" Allura managed to asked. Lotor actually tsked at her, seeming disapproving in the moment.

"Don't you remember?" he asked. "I told you that you had until the end of out trip to accept this relationship."

"We have no relationship..." She automatically replied.

He sighed, more put out than anything. "My illness kept me from you...It's delayed things between us."

"It saved me from you." Allura said in a small voice. It earned her a frown, Lotor turning displeased.

"That's exactly the kind of thinking I had hoped to abolish before we arrived on planet Simestia."

"Planet Simestia?" That almost distracted her, Allura thinking she had never heard of a world by that name.

"Are you familiar with it?" Lotor did a quick rubbing of her arms, nodding when she shook her head no. "I would have been surprised if you were. It's a world long since forgotten by both the Doom Empire and the Galaxy Alliance."

"If it's forgotten, then how do you know about it?" Allura wanted to know. His gaze flickered, Lotor struggling with some unwanted emotion.

"It's a holding of the Doom Empire." He continued as though that was answer enough. "Not quite abandoned, the people have been left pretty much to themselves. We won't have to worry much about the Empire's patrols this far out in the galaxy."

"How far out are we?" Allura asked, wanting a gauge of just how far they had traveled.

"We're pretty much in the outskirts of the galaxy." Lotor told her. "Stay here." He stood up, and walked over to the table, fetching a plate of food. By the time he returned, she had sat up. He frowned, and she flashed him a defiant look, as though daring him to push her back down.

He knelt before her, resting the plate on her lap. She glanced down quickly, seeing an assortment of bland fruits. Lotor began pulling apart an apple that had already been sliced. The tiny wedges easily came apart in his hands, the prince lifting one to her lips. She caught the sweet scent of the apple, it's moist, white flesh being rubbed over her lips in blatant tempt to tempt her into taking a bite.

She hesitated, then sighed, reluctantly allowing Lotor to feed her the apple slice. He smiled, no doubt pleased that he had her eating from his hand. He'd reach for another slice, bringing it to her lips. This time she needed less encouragement to eat the proffered fruit. He would switch to a juicy pear, using his fingers to stroke across her mouth after she had eaten that particular slice.

She didn't particular like the teasing touch of his fingers on his lips, but Allura found it was simpler to just go along with him. Especially since he set out to feed her with a single minded determination that would not be discouraged.

"Lotor..." His hand holding a slice of banana paused, the prince waiting for her to voice whatever she had to say. "Why are we going to Simestia? What purpose does that planet serve? Shouldn't you be taking me to Doom? Provided the Voltron Force and the Alliance doesn't stop you?"

"We're not going to Doom." Lotor said, nudging the banana piece past her parted lips. "Not now, not ever."

She nearly forgot to chew, staring at him in shock. Lotor took that moment to sneak a bite of apple for himself, completely nonchalant in the moment. "Not going to Doom? Then...what...why? What are you planning? What could you possibly...I...I don't understand."

Lotor took another apple slice, occupying himself with it's chewing. "It's simple really..." He said after swallowing. "We're going to start over somewhere else. Somewhere far from the Empire and the Alliance, from Arus and Voltron."

Starting to shake, she jerked up off the couch. The plate with the fruit clattered to the floor, but Allura barely paid it any mind. "You...you can't be serious!" She exclaimed.

"I'm very serious Allura." Lotor had risen when she had stood, giving her the feeling he would grab her if she tried to run past him. "There's only two things I've ever been as serious about as I am now...You...and escaping from Doom."

It was an interesting choice of words, but Allura didn't dwell on that in the moment. She was too busy gaping at him in open mouth shock. "You...you...have a kingdom, an empire to your name. You have responsibilities...planets to conquer, worlds to crush...you can't just give that all up..." She wildly shook her head, her hair falling into disarray around her. "Your father won't let you turn your back on him..."

"As far as my father and the rest of the galaxy is concerned, I am dead." Lotor told her, a glimmer of a satisfied smile on his face. 'They will neither look for me, or try to stop me from leaving." He extended his hand towards her, and Allura had no way to evade that touch. "Just as they won't be looking for you, so long as Mara plays everything to perfection."

She surely must have paled at the mention of the Drule female who had accompanied Lotor into the heart of the embassy. The very female who even now wore an enchanted necklace that made her look like Allura. She had hoped this Mara would screw up, making enough mistakes for Keith and the others to be alerted to the switch. But it had been days, and Lotor didn't seem concerned about the Voltron Force at all. It made Allura wonder just what was going on Arus, and how thoroughly Mara was ruining things with her pretense.

Dizzy, she took a step back and landed hard on the couch's seat. Faintly, she registered Lotor was talking to her, voicing some kind of concern. But Allura didn't respond, lowering her head into her hands in disbelief. The very real possibility of no one coming to rescue her had just hit Allura, and hit her hard. She felt numb with shock, and she let out a moan, wondering what was to become of her now.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Wade Wells, thank you! Hee...it's so hard to keep from spoiling. I'm eager for the story to get past the set up stage, and start diving into all the characters and their problems and relationships. I think I told you in the email how I worried about the early half of the story...I just hope people will be patient for the later chapters...those I feel for the most part are better than the first 15 or so chapters. *embarassed look* Ah, so you like Tesla? I'm surprised. Only cause I worried she's too angry at times, that people might view her as a shrew. She gets upset at/with Allura often, though the princess has caused some of that dislike with her own behavior. ^^'' But I am happy you are enjoying the story so far, and that you like the characters I came up with. There's more to see of them, not just Tesla, Vorlac and Ryder, but even the nurse and Tamestra from the last chapter. Though the main Drules are Lotor, Ryder, Mara, Vorlac and the nurse Qualenn. They are the ones who get the most air time, but only Mara and Ryder gets a POV spotlight...the others we get to learn about through their interactions with the other characters. I think I am getting more confidant as a writer, since I'm working on so many different character interactions, and not just focusing on the Lotor Allura one, you know? I'm having fun too, even if I get aggravated and/or disapointed sometimes with how a chapter comes out. ^^''


	10. Chapter 10

She gave a toss of her hair, the blonde strands seeming to catch the light and shine all the more golden. People around her seemed to stop and stare, Mara commanding a sort of awe she had never obtained with her normal appearance. As beautiful a Drule as Mara was, her looks couldn't compare to that of the princess of Arus. There was simply something about Allura, something both men and women found pretty damn irresistible. She was a golden child, blue eyed and blonde. Allura couldn't be further from Mara in looks if she had purposefully tried.

It wasn't just her looks that were the appeal. Allura seemed to charm everyone around her with the very goodness of her inner being. Her very strong sense of right, combined with an innocence, a naivete that seemed otherworldly. She teetered on the verge of adulthood, holding a heavy burden on her shoulders. Her planet and the fate of the galaxy resting on many of Allura's decisions. And yet she didn't buckle under the strain, retained her purity, her sense of right and wrong.

Mara could never be as sweet or innocent as Allura truly was. She had spent too many long years in the employment of the Doom Empire. She had seen and done too many things, her hands dirty with blood and sweat. She had even cried on occasion, though it had been many years since Mara had last shed tears. Sometimes she thought she'd never cry again, so unmoved was she by the harsh realities life on Doom dealt her and the other Drules.

She was the direct opposite of Allura in that way. That should have made her less than ideal to take Allura's place. But if there was one thing Mara was, it was that she was crafty, smart. She knew how to tow the line, knew just what to say and do to put on the performance of a lifetime. She had spent months leading up to this moment. Months studying every known recording of the princess of Arus. She had paid strict attention to everything known about Allura, things both public and private. Things Lotor's spies had ferreted out about the princess.

It had been quite an education, Mara taking a crash course not only on Allura, but on Arus and the planet's politics. On it's people and customs. It had been a lot of information to take in over such a short period of time, but Mara was smart with an excellent memory. She had more than just the basics down, she not only could pretend to be Allura, she had become her.

It didn't mean she liked everything that had to do with the princess' life. The princess was a little too prim, too proper for the Drule female to tolerate. There was that obsession with the color pink, Mara dismayed to learn everything Allura had packed came in two colors. Shades of pink, and white. That white was only a small improvement over all that pink!

But Mara couldn't go and pick out a new wardrobe. Not without drawing attention to herself. So she endured all that pink, and the prim, downright prudish outfits. She felt as though she was suffocating, clothed from the neck down to her toes in some of Allura's clothes. The princess didn't even own a proper miniskirt, her shortest skirt part of a business suit that went several inches past her knees.

There was another downside to being the princess of Arus. And that was the woman trailing behind Mara. That Nanny of hers, this Gertrude, was an overbearing sort. Bossy, and quick to make snap judgments about people, this Nanny seemed to be under the mistaken impression that SHE was the princess of Arus. Or at least, she gave orders like royalty, expecting everyone to obey her, even Allura. Mara chafed at obeying the woman's every command, but knew she couldn't rebel too openly. Not without drawing suspicion to herself.

Frankly Mara didn't know how Allura managed to tolerate Nanny so well. Or so often! The woman stuck to Mara like a shadow, following her around the city, the hotel. Only in select parts of the Kirentya embassy did Mara manage to escape Nanny. And only because she was handed over to the watchful eye of one Captain Keith Akira. Not that she minded behind handled by Keith. Mara actually held back a smile, thinking of the black haired young man.

He was a strapping youth, perhaps not as muscled as the Drules Mara was used to. But he was pleasing to look at. Mara more than liked what she saw. To the point she was fighting temptation, knowing she might jeopardize everything if she pursued some kind of relationship with Keith. But she wanted to risk it, sometimes day dreamed about the passion she felt she could inspire in the human.

But Mara couldn't afford any behavior that might tip off those closest to Allura. She had to play the good girl, the perfect, untouchable princess for just a little longer. It would be a lesson in restraint for Mara, this mission looking to last a couple of months. That was a long time to hold back on desire, but Mara was nothing but a consummate professional. She'd put aside her attraction to Keith, as strong as it was, and do the job she had been asked to do.

Unfortunately her job wasn't looking to get easier any time soon. There was unexpected delays to the Voltron force's return to Arus. It all had to do with what had happened at the embassy, with the people who had died. Many soldiers both Drule and from Kirentya had been slain in the shoot out. Tragic deaths that hadn't kept key members of the Alliance from dying. Not as many as Doom would have liked, but enough to cause an interplanetary incident.

Even worse, as far as the rest of the galaxy was concerned, Prince Lotor himself had died during the attack on the embassy. That had been according to the prince's own plans, Lotor wanting everyone to assume he was dead. The real trouble was with the replacement's body. The Alliance had quickly stepped in, claiming all of the dead, including that of the Drules. They weren't ready to release the bodies over to the Empire, might never hand over Lotor's corpse.

It wouldn't have been so bad if Mara and Haggar hadn't had the fear of what would happen if the enchanted necklace was discovered and removed from the replacement's neck. That would be pure and utter disaster! Questions would be asked, answers being needed. Zarkon would come looking for Lotor, determined to find out the real fate of his son. Haggar would be in trouble, Mara might be too. They needed to get those bodies released, get the replacement to Haggar so she could properly dispose of the remains.

Mara wanted to help. She wanted to do something to quicken the release of the Drule bodies. She had come up with a plan, a ploy to play the concerned princess of Arus. The benevolent Allura. She'd try to appeal to the Alliance and Garrison members. Try to get them to see they couldn't, shouldn't withhold the dead from Doom. That those Drule soldiers deserved their burial rites as much as the dead members of the Alliance deserved theirs.

Not everyone was understanding of her intentions. The woman, Nanny, strongly disapproved of Allura getting involved in a Drule matter. She didn't care one whit for the dead prince and the fallen soldiers. Nanny actually thought the Drules had gotten what they deserved, actually happy that Prince Lotor was dead. The smug satisfaction on Nanny's face was enough to make Mara want to slap the servant. It made her seethe that she could do nothing tangible to make the woman suffer for her prejudice pleasure.

It was annoying that Mara couldn't be too vocal in defense of the Drules. That she couldn't school these ignorant humans on how racist and bigoted their narrow viewpoints of Doom truly was. But that was something Princess Allura would not do, something the girl was not knowledgeable of. Nothing in Mara's intense study of Allura had hinted that the princess of Arus knew of a different view point when it came to the Drules of the Doom Empire.

It was sad, it was frustrating. Mara could only hope Lotor and the other Drules would soon open Allura's eyes to the truth of the Doom Empire. To how many of the Drules suffered under Zarkon's cruel tyranny. Allura gaining that understanding might make all the difference in helping their cause. In helping their prince. They needed an advocate Lotor would not only listen to, but be moved to act because of. Allura might be the only one who held the potential to change Lotor's mind, stay him from the course he had set out on.

It might take months for both Allura and Lotor to come around. Months where Mara would have to play at being the princess of Arus. She could do some good on her end, but not enough. Never enough, so long as her hands were tied and she couldn't openly speak about the plight of the Drules. About how misunderstood their people were.

Mara held in her sighs, knowing the woman, Nanny, would be quick to question her for that sound. The last thing she wanted was to have to make up excuses. Not when she had enough on her mind. Mara would feel even better if she could ditch the chaperone completely, but Nanny and the others were insistent that Allura always be accompanied outside her hotel room. Especially now, given the recent attack at the embassy.

If it hadn't been so annoying, Mara would have been amused, wondering what Nanny thought she could do to protect the princess of Arus. If another shoot out happened, Nanny would most likely die. Mara supposed she should admire the older woman's courage, her determination and devotion to Allura. That Nanny was willing to risk her own life for her charge, that spoke of character. It didn't stop Mara from viewing Nanny as a nuisance ninety-nine percent of the time!

The security at the Kirentya embassy had been tripled. Soldiers being brought in to not only replace the ones that had been slain, but to bolster the survivor's numbers. The were all under going strict security checks. No one wanted to repeat the disaster that had allowed Drule soldiers to sneak into the embassy disguised. Fortunately for Mara, they had yet to find a counter to Haggar's magic. She was safe for now, no one the wiser that a Drule walked in place of the princess.

Even disguised as she was, Mara had to endure several security checks. Wands being waved over her body to detect any hidden weapons. Nanny would endure similar, the woman huffing angrily about it being unnecessary. Like so often, Mara would tune out the sound of the woman's complaints, looking around the embassy. They had managed to get it all clean in a short amount of time. One couldn't even see the blood stains, though Mara could faintly smell the chemicals they had use to clean up the mess of the shoot out.

The embassy wasn't the only place security had been amped up. The hotels and space port were also receiving extra attention. Everyone was nervous, many of the surviving representatives wanting to leave at once for their home worlds. But with a fleet of Drule ships orbiting the planet, it seemed unwise to even attempt to leave. Not until the matter of the bodies could be resolved.

"This is an insult." Nanny was heard muttering. "She is the princess of Arus! A member of the Voltron Force! She shouldn't have to go through these procedures."

"It's all right Nanny." Mara said, voice speaking in Allura's soft tones. "It's not a big deal. Everyone is required to check in. It is what will keep us safe."

"We'd be safer if went back home to Arus!" grumbled Nanny. "Princess, I don't understand why we must remain here. Why we can't use Voltron to force our way past the Drule ships."

"And leave planet Kirentya to the mercy of the Drules?" Mara inquired, making her eyes widen with feigned shock. "Oh we couldn't!"

"She's right you know." A new voice had joined the conversation. Mara turned, and felt a thrill of excitement go through her. And all because Captain Keith was approaching. She had a second to be alarmed with herself, trying not to frown over her reaction to Keith. She was far too interested in the human for her own good if just his drawing near could get her heart beat going faster.

"Not only is Kirentya a valued member of the Alliance, but many world leaders are currently present on the planet. It would be sheer folly, a total disaster if we were to abandon this world at this point and time."

"But..." Nanny tried to protest. Mara did not have to fake her disapproving frown.

"But nothing Nanny! There's too much at stake here...too many people depending on what we do here in the coming days."

"But what of Arus? What of our home?" The older woman wanted to know.

"Arus will be fine for a few more days." Mara tried to assure her. "Right now Zarkon is too consumed with getting his son's body to bother with invading Arus."

"And Arus is not completely defenseless." Keith reminded them. "Even now Garrison ships patrol the planet and the surrounding worlds. Doom will not have an easy time of broaching their defense."

"I don't like it." Grumbled Nanny. Mara had a feeling there wasn't much Nanny actually liked. About this situation or anything else for that matter!

"It's just for a little while longer." Mara repeated. "You-we'll be home before you know it."

"It can't come soon enough for me." Nanny said, following Keith and Mara as they walked through the embassy's corridors. Mara tried not to look at Keith, at least not directly. But her eyes kept drifting, doing side long glances at the handsome captain. Being this close was distracting. She should be more aware of the people around her, and of potential escape routes. She shouldn't be focusing on his strong profile, or the way the tight spandex of his uniform clung to his body like a second skin.

"How is it inside?" Mara asked to try and focus.

Keith immediately knew what she referred to. "Still tense. Everyone is on edge. They want to leave..."

"They fear for their safety." Mara said knowingly.

"And with good reason!" exclaimed Nanny.

"It's not good princess." Keith sighed. "This many world leaders gathered together...we were lucky we didn't suffer more casualties during the shoot out. If Doom attacks again, well..." He shrugged, expression grim. "They could wipe out the leader of over a dozen worlds in one fell swoop."

"That's what we have Voltron for." Mara told him. "We won't let Doom win. Won't let them endanger any more worlds while we are here." It felt strange to talk about preventing a win for Doom. But it was in character for the princess of Arus.

"Voltron can only do so much." Keith retorted. "What we need is to get past the Drule ships. Force an opening so that our ships can pass through..."

"That wouldn't be very safe." Mara countered. "Really, what we need is to get the Drules to go away."

"Easier said then done!" Keith let out a humorless snort.

"Maybe if we give them something they want..." Mara began to the alarm of her companions.

"Like what?" demanded Nanny.

"Well, their dead for one." Mara answered. "It serves no purpose to deny them that. It only agitates them. And it makes us look as bad as Zarkon, refusing the Drules the chance to do their burial rites." She could see neither Keith nor Nanny like the thought of being compared to Zarkon in anyway.

"It's not up to us." Keith said at last. They were almost to the room where the latest conference meeting would be held. Security was strong in this section of the embassy, even more soldiers than normal standing guard, or pacing the halls. "The Alliance will decide what to do with Lotor and the other's bodies."

"The decision may ultimately lay in the Alliance's hands, but we can help guide them to the right one." Mara said confidently. "I intend to make a case, to petition for the releasing of the Drules' dead. An act of goodwill can do much too appease the Drule people." A wry smile. "If only temporarily."

"It might work." Mused Keith. "We could perhaps arrange a temporary truce to hand over the bodies...buying the Alliance members time to escape the planet."

"It still won't solve Kirentya's long term Drule problem." Added Mara. "But it will be a marked improvement...it may even cause Zarkon to lose interest with this world, if he knows the other leaders have already left it's lands."

"I don't care what we do, so long as we can return to Arus and soon!" announced Nanny. Mara met Keith's eyes, the black haired youth giving an exaggerated roll of them. It made her fight back a laugh, Mara glad to see she wasn't the only one exasperated by Nanny.

"Now comes the difficult part." Keith stopped before the conference room's doors. Soldiers were already moving to admit them inside, though Nanny would be forced to wait outside. "Convincing the Alliance and Garrison to give up the bodies."

"Yeah." Mara nodded, not trying to hide her less than unenthusiastic response. She knew it wouldn't be an easy task to undertake, especially with one General Grants of Garrison present. Gods, but that man tried her patience. He was the worse of the bunch, a money grubbing, fight hungry human who tried to hide his lusts for war by pretending to be better than the very Drules he fought. The very Drules he hated.

It wasn't just his prejudices and greed she had to contend with. Grants had been actively pushing for control of Voltron. He wanted Allura to give up Arus' defender. That was something neither Allura nor Mara could allow, though for different reasons. She wasn't about to let Garrison learn the secrets of Voltron, and replicate the robot. It would be a nightmare if Garrison had an army of Voltrons to use against the Doom Empire. Too many innocent Drules would die if that were to come to past. Better to let Arus keep the secrets of Voltron, keep sole custody of the robot.

Of course there was another reason to keep Voltron in the hands of Arus. The robot would be a useful tool in the war against Zarkon. It might mean the difference between a win or loss for Prince Lotor. The least Mara could do was make sure Voltron was available to Lotor for if-when he decided to act.

"You ready?" Keith asked when the guards had finished with their checks.

"As ready as I'll ever be..." Mara said, plastering a bright, cheery smile on her face as they entered the room. Not everyone smiled back, too worried and tense over the current situation. There would be even less smiles once Mara pleaded a case for the Drules to get back their dead. But Mara was a practical woman, and didn't give a damn if not everyone liked what she had to say. Just so long as they conceded her point was right!

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Wade Wells, thanks again. Yes, she's strong...for the most part. Except for when her panic gets triggered. But she's really strong even with that past trauma that will be revealed someday. (hopefully soon.) Happy to hear you love Ryder. I confess, Ryder and his love interest have become my fave part of the story. So far at least. And yes, tough position for Allura to be in. And the Drules keep trying to push her to understand. Sorry if I don't make much sense right now in this review reply. Falling asleep but wanted to update real quick. I still have a chapter to proofread, but saving it for after I get some sleep. X_X


	11. Chapter 11

Lotor had found it difficult to sleep. His body while not fully recovered, had been full of a near infinite amount of energy. He had felt like he could run miles, bound over obstacles. Fight a dozen Drule soldiers and win. Not that he would attempt to do any of that, Lotor conscious of the doctor's recommendation that he stay on bed rest until the ship reached it's destination.

But staying in bed was boring. Especially when one was alone. Never had it been more apparent how empty his bed was, then with the fact that Allura was within reach, on board the very ship Lotor was on. But he hadn't tried to force her into bed with him, Lotor conscious of the promise he had made her. A promise that had stated she had until they reached Simestia to come to terms with what would happen between them.

Unfortunately for them both, Lotor had spent much of the trip sick. It had left him little time to get the princess used to him, to his touches and nearness. She was still so frightened of him, so terrified that she overreacted to the most innocent of actions. Lotor remembered all too vividly how she had cried, how she had pretty much hyperventilated when he carried her over to the couch. Lotor could guess what she thought he would do. He wondered if she had had the time to feel the proper relief, or if she was still so upset she barely even registered she was unmolested by him.

Seeing her fear? It hurt something inside Lotor. Made his chest grow tight with protest, Lotor not understanding why she could fear him so. Didn't Allura understand she was the one person he would never hurt? The one person he was incapable of doing true wrong by? He had always gone out of his way to avoid harm befalling Allura. At times to the displeasure of his bastard of a father. Lotor even bore scars as proof of all he had done to ensure Allura's safety, paying with his flesh and blood to make sure the princess of Arus continued to live and be safe.

But he wouldn't tell her all he had done for her. Let her learn instead of the kind of man he really was through his words and actions. Let her learn that he wasn't a man she should fear, but a man she could love. He wanted that love, wanted Allura to love him even half as much as he loved her. It was something he strove for, something he built up all his hopes and dreams on.

The love he had for Allura gave him strength. His love had allowed him to withstand the worst of his father's abuse. That same love had given him courage, Lotor turning his back on his birthright, walking away from the Doom Empire. How much stronger would he feel if she loved him even just a little? He didn't know, but looked forward to finding out.

Nor did he sleep much, Lotor staying up nearly all night to think about his future with Allura. It was better to go to dreams with Allura on his mind. Maybe that had been the key in keeping away all but the worst of his nightmares. He had still dreamed, his mind torturing him with the remembered feel of the whip cracking open his skin. But the nightmares hadn't been as bad as they could have been. Lotor was actually pleased he didn't wake up with a shout, or find his pulse pounding in his ears.

He wasn't rested. But he hadn't been about to go back to sleep, and let the nightmares overwhelm him once more. Instead Lotor had showered and put on a change of clean clothing. Knowing the doctor would be displeased, Lotor still left his cabin. It felt good to be walking around, good to be seen. The others onboard the ship had been happy to see their prince, many inquiring after his health and whether or not it was too soon for Lotor to be out of bed.

It didn't fail to register how relieved everyone was that Lotor had recovered from his fever. It was more than apparent how big a scare he had given them. He couldn't blame them for worrying. They had after all, given up their lives on Doom to come with Lotor in this mad attempt to gain a new life free of Zarkon. He was the glue that held them all together, but more importantly than that, Lotor was the one funding their journey and their new lives. They may have all gathered with the same purpose, but not all had the means in which to attain a new life. If not with money, then with skills and the knowledge of the shadier aspects of the galaxy.

Lotor brought the money and the motivation. But he was letting others handle the forgeries needed, the creation of a fake life history for each and every person aboard this ship. That included Allura, her whole life being carefully made over so that no hint of her true background could be found. Officially she'd no longer be a princess, she wouldn't even be a noble, though the lives she and Lotor would have would hardly be that of peasants. Lotor had squirreled away enough money for them to live comfortably for years to come, and he wasn't above getting a job to keep the cash flowing.

But he didn't want to think about that right now. At the moment he just wanted to see Allura. He always wanted to be around her, but now more than ever. As though his nightmares had made him doubt she was really with him on this journey. But more than that, he wanted a chance to be with her where she hopefully wouldn't overreact too much around him. Certainly not to the point she hyperventilated again!

He reached Ryder's room, and tried to calm his anxious nerves. He'd run fingers through his hair, mussing it more than smoothing it back. And then he was knocking, letting Allura know that someone was about to enter. The door has been locked, but Lotor overrode the locking mechanism with a code. He'd walk right in, not at all cautious about what he was doing. After all, it wasn't like Allura could go anywhere on a ship full of Drules loyal to Lotor.

"Allura?" Lotor called out softly, his fingers feeling for the entry room's light switch. She had to be in one of two places, either the bedroom or the bathroom. Both were to the back of the cabin, Lotor walking towards the door that would lead into the bedroom. The lights were on here, brighter than he would have liked. Allura was not in the bed, but he could hear the sounds of the shower splattering water everywhere.

Smiling, he sat down to wait. She would not be much longer, Allura stepping out of the bathroom in what had to be Ryder's bathrobe. Lotor felt a moment of irrational jealousy to see her wear another man's belongings. But he stamped it down, reasoning that she didn't have much options when it came to clothing. Not until they reached Simestia at least.

"I bet you can't wait until we get to Simestia." Lotor said with a smile. Allura who had been startled to see him, now allowed a questioning look to fill her eyes. "You'll be able to trash that maid's outfit, and have your choice of clothing."

Allura was tying the sash of the bathrobe around her in knots, making sure nothing would show. With how large the bathrobe was on her, it covered her down almost to her ankles, so there was no risk of that. And yet he couldn't help but hope to see something, even as Lotor reminded himself he was not going to molest Allura while she still feared him so badly.

He supposed it was something that Allura hadn't fled right back into the bathroom. But he also noted she hadn't come any closer, standing within inches of the open bathroom door. To keep her from fleeing, and wasting both their times with a locked door, Lotor remained seated. "Are you feeling better?" He asked, remembering how upset she had been. And not just over his touching her, but over the news of what Lotor had planned for their futures.

"I'm not a complete mess if that is what you're asking." Allura said in response. But her blue eyes were troubled. A trouble that didn't have all to do with being alone in a room with Lotor while clad in nothing but a bathrobe.

"What can I do to help?" Lotor instantly asked. Allura's brows lifted in surprise, Lotor hastily explaining. "I want to make things easier for you, make you comfortable with what is happening."

"There's nothing you can do on that front." Insisted Allura. "The only thing that will make me happy is if you return me to Arus at once!"

"I can't do that." Lotor told her, his smile dying at her response.

"You mean you won't!" Allura scowled. "This is wrong Lotor! But more than that, this is insane! You've not only kidnapped me, you've faked your death, and are dragging me around the galaxy! All to start a new life elsewhere!"

He was puzzled. "What's insane about that?" Lotor turned defensive. "It's a well thought out plan. People start new lives all the time, move to new worlds under new names..."

"Yes, criminals!"

"Not just criminals." Lotor argued. "But people who have made mistakes, or people who need protection from bad elements. Does not your Alliance have a witness protection program that does similar?"

"That program is to protect those who would help put away bad people...people like you!" Allura exclaimed.

He frowned. "You'd lump me in with the bad people?" She immediately nodded. "I know I've done wrong..."

"If you know, then you should have acted to stop it!"

"It's not as easy as you might think..." Lotor said, thinking of his father's wrath and trying not to shudder. "I've had expectations on me...responsibilities I had to live up too...I didn't have the luxury of refusing my father's orders...but I am trying to make amends...have been trying for a long time now..."

"How? Besides helping a few Drules." Allura had crossed her arms over her chest.

"I've done what I can to help my people, it's true." Lotor sighed. "That much my father would tolerate, so long as it didn't interfere with his plans for universal conquest. You have to understand Allura...he wouldn't have understood...wouldn't have allowed me to do any good for his enemies."

"You could have tried." She insisted, then shivered at the look on his face.

"The punishment for that attempt would have been severe..." Lotor would not go into details, would not explain he had been punished time and time again for allowing no harm to befall Allura. That stance of his had kept Doom from winning against Voltron on more than one occasion. A fact that had made Zarkon beyond livid. How often had Lotor been whipped for costing Doom it's victory over Arus? He had lost count.

"Are you that afraid of your father?" Allura asked. It hit home, Lotor's brow furrowing as he fought not to grimace. Was he afraid of his father? He wasn't sure. From all the pain and hurt, the punishments, something had broken inside him. Something that would not be able to be recovered so long as he remained within his father's reach. Zarkon would have personally seen to Lotor staying weak, staying hurt, might even have seen him dead. With that kind of evil after him, Lotor had had to act. To remove himself from the situation in the only way he thought could succeed.

"There's no love lost between us." He said out loud.

"That isn't what I asked." Allura pointed out.

"Doesn't everyone fear the King of the Doom Empire?" Lotor asked, tone bland.

"With good reason too, I might add!" Allura exclaimed. "The things he has done..."

"You don't know half of what he's capable of." Lotor said darkly. Allura looked at him, wide eyed.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

He shook his head no "It's things not fit for mixed company. Things that would upset your sensibilities."

"I'm not made of porcelain...I won't break from the truth." Allura insisted.

"Some things are best left unsaid." Lotor retorted. He could see that frustrated her. "It's not as if you need more reasons to fear or hate Zarkon."

"No, he's given me plenty..." Allura muttered. She briefly met his eyes, before looking away. "So have you."

"Me?" Lotor was surprised. "What have I done?"

"You mean besides stalking and kidnapping me? Lotor, you've tried to invade my planet. Countless times!"

"Yes, but...what specifically have I done that could account for the terror you show me? The fear that made you hyperventilate?" Lotor questioned. She seemed flustered by his questions, Allura fidgeting in place. "It's an irrational fear you have of me..."

"Irrational?" Allura's gaze jerked up to meet his, her eyes angry. "After all you've tried to do...after all you're doing right now?"

"Right now I am just talking to you..." Lotor pointed out.

"While we're on a ship. A ship that is taking us to some planet that's been forsaken even by your father! A journey I am neither a willing nor eager participant for!" She shook her head no. "Forgetting that for a moment, you've made...insinuations of what will happen when we get there."

"Nothing will happen that you don't want it to."

Allura gave him this shocked, disbelieving look. "You really have gone insane!"

"Believe me Allura, I am operating under full mental faculties."

"You most certainly are not. I was already in doubt of your sanity when you kidnapped me, when you talked about turning your back on your crown, on your very life. But to assume I would ever welcome any type of...of affection from you. That is...that is, what are you doing?" Allura suddenly cried out, even more alarmed as Lotor rose from his seat.

He fixed her with an amused look, almost chuckling. "I've spent the last three and a half days stuck in one place. Do excuse me if I have an abundance of energy."

"Go have an abundance of energy elsewhere!" She was keeping a wary eye on him, Allura tensing to flee if Lotor should approach. He almost sighed then, disliking how nervous she was around him.

"I have two desires at the moment." Lotor announced. "Would you like to know what they are?" She tried for a disinterested look, Allura shaking her head no. He told her anyway, lips twitching with amusement. "One is to no longer be confined to my cabin like an invalid. The second, which is even more important than the first, is to be around you."

"We can't always get what we want." Allura told him.

"Don't I know it..." Lotor murmured, his voice too soft for Allura to truly hear him. He chased away dark thoughts, and smiled at her once more. "I think you should get dressed." She didn't try to argue that suggestion, Allura still so leery of him. He could start to chip away at that wariness right now, Lotor inching closer to her. Sure enough she started to back up towards the open bathroom door. "Get dressed Allura." He ordered softly, trying not to give her any hint of any desire he felt for her in the moment.

"And what then?" Allura asked, already retreating into the bathroom.

"And then we will go for a walk." Lotor told her. She blinked in surprise, as though such a mundane activity had not even entered the realm of possibilities for her. She really was determined to expect the worst from him. But Lotor was just as determined to get Allura to relax around him, to help her become comfortable in their interactions. As much as he might want otherwise, Lotor knew it would serve no one any good by getting too aggressive with Allura. She had enough of unwarranted fears of him. He would try not to give her a real reason to be scared.

It might be more difficult than he thought, Lotor knowing he had to school his responses to her. Especially when he knew the only thing she was wearing was Ryder's bathrobe. But memories of the night before, of Allura's panic stayed his hand. Lotor would do almost anything to keep her from going through that kind of terror once more. Irrational though it was, it was still real to Allura. And as such it was an obstacle to overcome. An obstacle Lotor would not mind dealing with.

Talking with Allura, even with the distance of a whole room between them, was a start. The fact that she hadn't protested the idea of walking with him was another. It gave him a small hope, one Lotor was determined to build on. If he could have, Lotor would have forced a week's worth of experiences into that walk. All in order to try and gain the closeness Allura was determined to deny them.

He had to remind himself to not rush things, to not try and force Allura farther than she was ready for. It was difficult to be so patient, especially when Allura was finally in his care. Only the thought that they had their whole future together to look forward to, stayed his hand. He was eager for the fear and mistrust to be at an end, to experience true happiness with Allura. Lotor thought again of the family they would have, the happy and loving atmosphere between them and their children. It would be nothing like what he had experienced growing up. There would be no abuse, no hatred and fear. It would be perfect. As perfect as Allura truly was, Lotor smiling at her when she came out of the bathroom.

Even in the badly wrinkled maid's uniform, she was lovely. He told her as much, Allura giving him a disbelieving look. He just chuckled and held out his hand to her. Allura stared at it as though expecting a trap. "It won't bite." Lotor teased her, and she flashed him a dark look.

"No...but I'm sure it and you are capable of a lot of other unpleasant things."

"You wound me." Lotor said, but didn't drop his hand. Instead he stepped closer to her, grabbing at Allura's hand. She instantly stiffened and tried to jerk back. It hurt to see her so opposed to such an innocent touch, Lotor having intended to do nothing more than hold hands with the princess. "Come." He tugged her after him, Allura's hand limp in his grasp. "There's something I want you to see..."

"I've already been all over this ship with Vorlac and Ryder." Allura informed him. "I doubt you can show me anything new..."

"Prepared to be surprised then." Lotor tried not to be annoyed that the two men had had the luxury of showing Allura around the ship. And all because it was something he would have preferred to do himself.

"I don't think I like your surprises..." He heard Allura murmur. He felt the tremble of her arm, the princess disturbed by some dark thought of hers.

They left Ryder's cabin, Lotor idly sparing a thought to wonder where the man had been spending his nights since giving up his room to the princess. Everyone had expected Allura to spend her nights with the prince, Lotor included. That illness of his, combined with Allura's fright, had inconvenienced everyone when it came to sleeping arrangements.

"I understand you've been going around getting to know the others on board this ship?" Lotor was trying to make conversation, to engage Allura's interest. She was quiet a moment besides him, and then she nodded.

"Yes. Ryder thought it would be a good thing." She hesitated. "Though getting to know them might be too much of an exaggeration for what we did."

"Oh?"

"I don't really feel like I know the people on board this ship. Except for Vorlac, and Ryder to a lesser extent." Allura corrected with a sigh. "But I did talk to some of the other Drules..."

Lotor already had some understanding of what they had talked about, Ryder reassuring him that no one had revealed the truth of Lotor's suffering at Zarkon's hands. "What did you talk about then?" He asked out loud.

She gave a sidelong glance to him. "About you." A pause. "About the things you have done. The things you've done to help the people on board the ship. Even the things you've done for the rest of the people on planet Doom."

"Ah...I see." He wasn't sure how to react, not wanting to gloat or be full of pride. "And how does that make you feel? To know these things about me...?"

She hesitated. "It doesn't change anything." Allura said at last, looking away from Lotor. "Not for me, not for us. You still kidnapped me...you're still trying to ruin and run my life according to your whims and desires."

They were walking through the ship's corridors, various Drules smiling at the sight of the prince with the princess. They didn't come close enough to hear Allura's words, didn't know how the princess was rejecting Lotor.

"It won't always feel that way." Lotor finally said. "Allura...I know this seems extreme to you...I know you feel this is a mistake, that I am ruining your life. But you'll see. In time we'll be happy. We'll be free of the war, free of Doom and the Alliance's interference." Most importantly of all they'd be away from Zarkon, somewhere that even the Empire's reach did not extend.

"What if I was already happy with my life the way it was...is..." Allura demanded. She shook her head no then. "No, don't answer that. It doesn't matter what I felt, the real truth you have to face is that I can never be happy with you."

Disturbing words, Lotor upset and trying not to show it. "You haven't even given me a chance..."

"Nor do I want to." Allura retorted. "Heaven help me if I did! You'd be quick to take advantage, quick to use and hurt me."

"I would never hurt you Allura!" Lotor protested.

"You've hurt me just by kidnapping me. You continue to hurt me by forcing me to go with you! I can only imagine what you'll do once we arrive at Simestia..."

"You're wrong. About me, about your fears of what I will do..." Lotor insisted, having them turn a corner. "But then...you've always been quick to make snap judgments about me. Always quick to make the wrong assumptions."

She didn't try to deny it. "You've never given me a reason to think any other way."

"I've never given you a reason to fear me!" Lotor pointed out. "And yet you do. Yet you always have, almost from our first meetings." He didn't want to, but he remembered one of the first times he had ever been alone with Allura. He had cornered her by her lion, the girl's eyes alight with terror. She had felt such profound fear of him, Allura had actually drawn a weapon. But it was not to use on Lotor, Allura ready to kill herself rather than be captured by him.

Even now, a year later, the fear startled him. They had only seen each other two times before the incident by her lion, and Lotor had done nothing to merit such fear from Allura. Nothing save be born the son of a tyrant, the prince of the Empire threatening the safety of her world. Even his reputation as conqueror shouldn't have been enough to account for that amount of fear.

Sometimes Lotor thought Allura truly let her imagination get the best of her. Just like it had when she had driven herself to a panic so deep Allura had started to hyperventilate.

"You've tried to kidnap me so many times!" Allura reminded him. "You've been attempting to invade my world, enslave my people..."

"The last two was nothing personal to you."

"Nothing personal?" Allura gasped out in disbelief. "Lotor, Arus is my home...it's people under my care. Your father killed my father...if that doesn't make it personal, than what does?"

He didn't have a real answer for her. When he had come to Arus, Lotor had been acting under his father's orders. Arus should have been just another planet, another world to invade and discard. Maybe if he had kept thinking that way, the months of abuse that followed would have never happened. But Lotor had been smitten with Allura from the first moment he had laid eyes on her. A crush that would ultimately lead him to do foolish things, things that allowed Arus and Voltron to win time and time again. And with each victory, Zarkon had seen to Lotor's punishment, to his breaking.

"Anything I've done...it's been motivated by love." Lotor didn't have to clarify just who that love was focused on. Even Allura could not misunderstand that much. "Even now, it's that love that keeps me going..." His love motivated him, but more than that it protected Allura. Lotor had been under no delusions that if he died, Zarkon would press on to capture Arus. Allura would suffer under Zarkon's hands, suffer worse than Lotor had ever. That was yet another reason why Lotor was running away, and taking Allura with him. Not just to love her, but to protect her from the monster that was his father.

"This is wrong..." Allura whispered softly. They had reached the viewing deck, Lotor leading Allura over to one of the benches closest to the railing. A planet was in the distance, colored oranges and golds in this view point. Allura looked at the planet without truly seeing it, let alone recognizing it.

"There it is..." Lotor said, still holding her hand as they sat on the bench. "That is our destination." That drew Allura's attention to the planet, the girl studying it with a frown. Lotor knew it didn't look like much from this vantage point, but once they began to descend to the surface, she would see Simestia's true beauty. He looked forward to her reactions, knowing that unless Simestia had changed drastically in the fifteen years since he had last visited it, it would be a beautiful world. A true paradise. But more than that, it was a safe haven, a brief stop over until they could get on with their journey to their new lives. Even if someone were to look for them, they would never think to come to Simestia. It made it the perfect world to hide on. But more than that, it was the perfect world for Allura to fall in love with Lotor.

Eh...couldn't find a good ending line...X_X

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Lotor Sincline, thanks! Glad you enjoy playing catch up with these chapters. Sorry the new series has you so down though. *hugs* Let the fanworks take your troubles away, at least for a little while. As for Allura seeing Lotor's scars, it's still a whiles a way. Everything keeps developing differently from what I had first planned too...X_X


	12. Chapter 12

Allura hadn't given much thought to what planet Simestia would be like. It was a world forgotten, a world that had been abandoned by both the Doom Empire and the Galaxy Alliance. That led Allura to believe there wasn't much of value to be found on Simestia. It wasn't even a world that could be a viable strategic location. Not when it was located on the outskirts of the Denubian Galaxy, far away from other planets and outposts. It's position left it isolated. It would have been a neutral world, if not for the fact it was still technically part of the Doom Empire.

But the Empire's claims were in name only. The Drules had turned their backs on Simestia and it's people. The way Lotor and the other Drules acted, it gave Allura the impression planet Simestia had all but been forgotten by the Empire. She was left with many questions, Allura curious about the situation that had brought Simestia to Doom's attention in the first place.

But she wasn't getting a chance to ask, Lotor and the other Drules busy with last minute preparations. Allura was all but ignored herself, though not to the point she could wander off on her own. She found that out the hard way, Allura inching away from the group of Drules, hoping to slip away unnoticed. Vorlac had immediately grabbed her by the arm, giving her a chastising look. He'd go right on holding her, his grip firm as the Drule forced Allura to run to keep up with his quick gait.

He wasn't the only one hurrying. All the Drules were, each busy on a variety of assigned tasks. They were abandoning the ships they had arrived on, the limited amount of supplies they had brought were being taken towards a new kind of transport. The new transports were some kind of cruisers, ones capable of traversing both land and air. There was many of them, each cruiser only able to hold a small number of people inside.

Allura would be guided to sit inside one, the doors being locked close. She'd sigh, and fiddle with the doors, but no amount of force could budge them. She had nothing to do but sit back and wait. At least it was comfortable inside, the cruiser climate controlled. Outside it had been warm, the heat just short of unbearable. Allura didn't know if all of Simestia was like this, or if only this part of the world was in the midst of it's summer season.

It was certainly beautiful from what she had seen. Allura had sat on the bench with Lotor, watching as the ship they were on descended to the planet's surface. The lower they went, the more she could see, landscapes becoming clearer in detail. The golds and oranges of the planet's colors came from the trees and grass of the land. Allura was used to fertile green planets, but Simestia seemed in a permanent sun kissed state.

It was beautiful in an alien, exotic kind of way. It was also a verdant paradise, Allura having noted the few signs of civilization were spread out few and far between each other. It left her with the feeling Simestia wasn't a very populated planet. But then, it stood to reason that when the Doom Empire had first arrived, they would have carted off most if not all the people who lived here. All in order to make them the Drules' slaves.

It was a fate repeated on countless worlds. The Doom Empire would come, take the people and resources, drain the planet dry in the process. Sometimes, if the planet was viable or in a strategic military location, the Empire would develop the world. Establish it's own people on it's lands, build up the planet's cities and technology. No such care had been given to Simestia. The planet was probably better for it, slowly but surely recovering from the Drules invasions.

How long had it been since Doom had left Simestia alone? Allura couldn't guess. Arus itself had taken years to recover from the first invasion of the Doom Empire. An invasion they had barely survived, and one that had cost Allura her parents. But the land of Arus was fertile again, the people rebuilding their cities and homes, no longer having to live underground or in caves.

Just thinking about it made Allura shudder, her thoughts turning darker. What would happen to Arus with it's princess gone? With an impostor sitting on the throne, one who was a Drule? Would this impostor fight for Arus, or hand it over to Doom on a silver platter? Allura leaned towards the second, sure Arus would fall, her people suffering at the hands of the Drules once more. Her hands actually clenched into fists, Allura angry and feeling helpless because of the situation she was in. A situation that had been engineered by Prince Lotor.

She was upset, and showing it when the side door opposite her opened. Allura immediately gave her best glare to the man entering the cruiser, but Lotor seemed unaffected by her anger. That only upset Allura further, the girl wishing she had the courage to attack Lotor. But she knew even if she did, there was far too many Drules that stood between her and the ships. They would stop her, punish her, bring her back to Lotor. She held in her sighs, maintaining her anger with Lotor and his accomplices.

Lotor slid across the plush seats until the side of his body was touching Allura's. She seethed at that, then stiffened when he put his hand on her knee, giving her a pat that was surely meant to be reassuring. "It shouldn't be much longer." He said, and despite herself, Allura was curious.

"Oh?"

"Until we reach the mansion." He clarified. "It will be just a short journey past those mountains to the east."

"Why couldn't we take the ships directly there?" Allura asked.

"Didn't want to risk drawing too much attention with our arrival." Lotor explained. "The mansion and it's property is close to one of the more populated areas of the planet. If we arrived in ships bearing the Alliance's mark, it would be sure to cause a stir."

"Why? Are the people of Simestia so loyal to Doom they would attack Alliance ships?" Allura questioned.

"They might indeed, though not for the reason you think." Lotor said. "They simply want no trouble. Neither from Doom nor the Alliance. If Zarkon were to learn that the Simestians allowed members of the Alliance to set foot on their world..."

"He'd be furious." Allura realized. "He'd use that as an excuse to punish the people of Simestia."

"Yes. And if there is one thing the Simestians do not want, is for Zarkon to be reminded of their existence." A wry look from Lotor. "They neither want his favor nor his anger. They just want to be left alone, to rebuild and prosper free of Doom's attentions."

Allura was quiet a moment, but her curiosity about the planet won out. "Just how did Doom come to take this planet? Surely there were other worlds, richer in resources, people, and gold. Worlds that weren't so easily forgotten..."

"The Empire wasn't always the vast kingdom you know of." Lotor answered. "It had to get it's start somewhere, and what better world than a planet that was isolated?"

"Do you mean to tell me Simestia was one of the first worlds to fall to Doom?" Allura's eyes had widened, her anger temporarily forgotten.

Lotor nodded. "Yes. It was something like fifty years ago, when Zarkon was in the prime of his youth." He seemed to grimace. "Back then, Zarkon was little more than a pirate, attacking worlds that were too weak to fight back, or incapable of gaining aid from their neighbors. Zarkon built the Doom Empire up, one world at a time. He wasn't always successful with his invasions, but little by little he was gaining money and slaves. The resources to build and fund his armies."

"I don't even know what world was the first to fall to Zarkon's attacks..." Lotor admitted. "Maybe even he doesn't know..."

"I wouldn't be surprised." Allura murmured. "Not with the amount of worlds and people he's subjugated."

"Too true." Lotor agreed. "But I do know Simestia was among the first. The very isolation that made it easy pickings for Zarkon, also made it worthless for much of anything else. He saw little reason to develop it's cities. After all, what was the point if no army would settle in on this planet? The only thing Simestia had an overabundance of was people...and you can well guess what Zarkon would use them for."

"Slaves." Allura stated. "He made slaves of them."

"The planet's lucky it's not a ghost world after the amount of killing and kidnapping the Drules performed. Nearly every man, woman and child was taken. The few who were left behind were expected to mine the planet of it's pitiful amount of resources. Eventually it got to the point the planet's output of resources was so low, it wasn't worth the cost of caring for the people left behind."

"So Doom what...just abandoned the people they had ruined?" Allura was dismayed, and even more so when Lotor nodded.

"That's usually Zarkon's preferred mode of operation. If a world can no longer serve a purpose to him, than it's deemed worthless. That which Zarkon finds worthless is quickly abandoned or destroyed..." He trailed off with a sigh, a dark look in his eyes.

"And yet the planet's recovering." Allura pointed out.

He nodded slowly. "Zarkon is a like a disease, ruining much of what he touches. Given enough time and separation, almost anything can recover from Zarkon's mistreatment." The dark look remained in Lotor's eyes, the prince turning his gaze away from Allura. She heard the front doors of the cruiser open, someone entering inside. Seconds later, the start of the engines sounded, this cruiser and the others preparing to take off.

"Simestia has been very lucky then." Allura acknowledged. "Not every world can be forgotten by Zarkon."

"The Doom Empire's gotten to the size even he has trouble keeping track of every world, and the situations the planets face." Lotor stated. "As long as they pay their tribute, and continue to not cause problems...they can stay off of Doom's radar."

"Hmm." Allura gave him a sidelong glance. "So then...how come you knew about Simestia?" Lotor blinked slowly, turning his gaze back to hers. "It doesn't sound like a world you would bother with...any more than your father has..."

"My mother." Lotor spoke with slow hesitation.

"Your mother?" Allura was surprised, not having expected that for an answer.

"My mother is the one who told me about Simestia." He lowered his gaze. "She told me everything. From Zarkon's first attack, to ultimately his disinterest with the planet."

"Why would she do that?" Allura wondered. Was it some weird Drule tradition, to speak of a child's father's exploits? Had Lotor's mother hoped to stir the prince into following in Zarkon's footsteps, inspire him to become just as ruthless a conqueror as the King was? This line of thought left her completely unprepared for the answer Lotor gave her.

"Simestia...was her world. She was born here...she grew up here, and if the Gods would have allowed it, she would have grown old here, eventually died here."

Allura stared at him, unsettled by his words. "But...she was a...a Drule was she not?"

He was looking at her again, his golden gaze seeming to pin her in place. It made her uncomfortable, Allura wanting to fidget and look away, and finding she was unable to break the connection of their gazes. "My mother was human." Lotor said at last. "She was a Simestian."

"Human?" Allura gasped, totally shocked. That was the last thing she had expected to discover about Lotor. He nodded, his expression serious. Allura found herself studying him more closely, trying to pick out the differences between his Drule blood and his human blood. Was his mother the reason his skin was a blue so much lighter than most Drules she had seen? Was his mother the reason why Lotor had so much hair, why he didn't look so reptilian in appearance? Surely his mother had somehow tamed his Drule DNA, taking away the worst of Zarkon's appearance, and tempering it into a much more attractive package. Not that she wanted to admit that Lotor was attractive looking. Not even to herself!

"You never knew?" Lotor asked, and Allura shook her head no. "You never even wondered why Zarkon and I look so different?" That made her feel foolish, Allura shrugging her shoulders in a helpless fashion.

"How did it happen?" Allura asked when she had recovered from her shock. Lotor lifted a brow at that, Allura hastening to explain. "I mean...she wasn't...they weren't...is he even capable of loving someone?"

Lotor didn't seem to take any offense to that. "No...it was not a love match. My mother hated Zarkon. I doubt there is anyone alive who could actually love a man like Zarkon..." He shook his head, then flashed her a wry grin. "Zarkon's not the kind of man that inspires soft feelings. Not even with a woman as generous and loving as my mother had been..."

Allura had this morbid need to understand, to know more. "What happened? How did they come to get married then...?"

Lotor seemed tired all of a sudden. "There was no grand courtship. She was just one of many Simestians enslaved by the Drules. But she was beautiful enough to catch my father's eye. It was a beauty that drove him mad, made him covet her, made him obsessed with her. To the point he did not want to share my mother with anyone, to the point he was willing to marry her and make a baby off her."

"It sounds like her beauty was a curse..." Allura was shivering, thinking Zarkon's obsession with Lotor's mother, echoed her own situation with the prince.

"Oh it was." Lotor agreed. "If she had been only a little less beautiful, a little less spirited, Zarkon might never have even noticed her. For all the comforts of being his wife, it could not compare to all the torments and indignities my mother suffered at his hands..." Allura noticed Lotor had started to shake, his hands clenching into fists on his lap.

"Lotor...?"

"It's nothing." He abruptly shook off his upset, turning away from Allura. "My mother is free now...her soul up in the heavens where Zarkon will never be able to reach her."

Allura didn't know what to say to that. What cruelties had Zarkon done, that even Lotor thought death was preferable to over suffering at the Drule King's hands? This was not the first time Lotor had alluded to Zarkon being far worse than Allura knew. It made her curious and frightened, the princess scared of just how horrible the truth could really be.

Lotor wasn't saying anything more, a dark, troubled look in his eyes. It was as though he was brooding, perhaps thinking on whatever abuse Zarkon had heaped on Lotor's mother. Allura thought she should somehow lighten his mood, but the princess had no idea how to accomplish such a thing. Nor was Allura sure she wanted to try, not after Lotor had kidnapped her. Once again Allura thought of how Lotor was obsessed with her in a way that echoed Zarkon's obsession with the Simestian woman. Allura could only hope this obsession wouldn't end in a similar way, the princess of Arus not wanting to die because she was so desired.

Holding in he sighs, Allura turned to gaze out the window. They weren't quite flying, the cruiser using it's hover engines to float along the cluttered landscape. Fallen tress and other obstacles prevented the vehicles from driving directly over the ground. Allura realized with a start they were following a path, one that had fallen into disrepair after being unused for so long.

The broken path was heading towards a mountain range. It would lead between two caverns, the walls so close together the cruisers' sides would scrape against the rock. It gave travel a claustrophobic feel, Allura frightened their cruiser would get trapped, the side doors pinned against the walls. It didn't help her fears that the vehicles were moving at a crawl, sparks shooting up off the sides as they tried to get through the cavern pass.

Slowly, one by one, they made it through. And once clear of the mountains, the path led into a valley. Allura couldn't help but gasp, seeing the village for the first time. Houses were clustered together, separated by cobblestone paths. The homes and paths were going round in circles, forming a ring around what could almost be called a castle. It was certainly large enough, a veritable mansion estate, with acres and acres of land spread in every direction. The land was bordered by a chain link fence. Such was the vast amount of property, that there was even a few cottage homes within walking distant of the mansion.

Allura wasn't surprised that the mansion was their destination. The cruisers would drive right up to the gate, which would pull apart long enough to admit them inside. It was still quite a ride to the mansion, something like two miles passing between the gate and the closest cottage.

"What is this place?" Allura wondered out loud. She was looking around, seeing the mansion had enough farm land and cattle to be self sufficient and separate from the village that surrounded it. There was even a few horses roaming the property, wild and free of any saddle and bridle.

"This is the capital of Simestia." Lotor explained. "And this property was once it's seat of power."

"Once?" She questioned.

"Much has changed since then...The cities are so under populated...so far from each other, that the Simestians no longer follow one leader. Instead each settlement has it's own leaders and laws to uphold...Nor do they have much contact between them."

"Does that mean the rest of Simestia won't know about our arrival here?" Allura asked.

"Oh they'll know. We're too much of an interest for them not to talk. But they wont interfere with us while we're here. They'll leave us alone so long as we do the same to them." Lotor seemed pleased with that.

She frowned at that. "So in other words, they won't be putting in a call to your father or the Alliance about our arrival..."

"The'd never willingly call Zarkon's attention to this world." Lotor replied. "As for the Alliance, well why should the Simestians bother? It's not as though Garrison and the Alliance ever helped them when Simestia was in need." She grumbled at that, Allura disappointed. "They probably won't even know who we are. Simestia is so removed from the affairs of the Denubian Galaxy, I doubt they even know what the princess or Arus and the prince of Doom looks like." A chuckle from him. "As far as Simestia is concerned, we are just Drule tourists. We'll be a brief interruption to their lives at best, and easily forgotten once we're gone."

"Great." It was sarcastic, Allura thinking it the exact opposite of great. She didn't know if Lotor was being entirely truthful with her. He might very well be lying about the Simestian's willingness to get involved with visitors to their world. Allura would risk anything to find out if it was lie or truth, the girl already forming schemes of how she could get the villagers to help her. If not with an outright escape from Lotor, then with a call for help to Arus and the Alliance.

But she couldn't act just yet. She'd have to bide her time, wait for an opportune moment to arise. Patience was the key, though Allura shivered anew as she glanced at Lotor. Allura didn't think she has as much time as she could want, the girl fearing what the prince would do to her now that they were on planet Simestia. Allura remembered how he had talked, how he acted like she would have to accept him and what he wanted to do to her once they reached their destination. With the mansion just a few feet away, Allura knew her time was all but run out. And that left her frightened all the more.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Lotor Sincline, yeah...it's quite an uphill battle like you said. But Lotor has always been up for the challenge of Allura! As for her bitchiness...well I think she has some right to it, considering they did kidnap her, and are up rooting her life against her will! Plus what she imagines Lotor would do. I don't feel she's a wimp for her panic attacks. She has a very real reason for those that has yet to even be touched upon in these early chapters. Bad things have and do continue to happen to Arus and it's people...Course the Drules have also suffered...so be patient for when Allura finally comes to properly understand that life isn't all black and white like she would prefer to believe! XD Heh...Keith and Mara are just beginning! One thing I want to be careful, is to show how Keith is attracted to Mara not Allura. I've been imagining the angst Mara would go through, all upset that she's falling in love with someone who only likes the illusion she is presenting. Poor Mara! But..*rubs hands together gleefully.* oh the plans I have for everyone! Just got to find the time and inspiration to sit down and work some more. But VP has been calling my name this week, seducing me! XD

Wade Wells, thanks! *giggles* Glad you like the Keith Mara interactions. More to come with them, though it took a while, cause I felt like there wasn't enough for me to have them do, just sitting stuck on the embassy planet. I get worried for later in the fic...cause I wonder if I can actually go through with writing a Keith Mara love scene. Though I do have notes on that! XD Mara's got it bad...and doesn't even realize how huge her crush is! I tell ya, there's something about humans that make the Drules go wild when they get bit by an attraction! XD And here's poor Mara, stuck having to behave herself! It's funny you should say I hope to see more of him...I have in my notes, and hope to somehow have Mara walk in on Keith when he's only partly dressed. XD Should be fun..! As for Lotor and Allura, it's hard to say if she'll play hard to get..there's some things, spoilers...that might affect how she thinks...but then she also gets (Spoiler!) the attitude of, "I can't fall in love with a man who is running away from his problems rather than stand up to Zarkon." That sort of thing...and we haven't even gotten the introduction of the character that will be Ryder's love interest! Which I admit, Ryder and his girl have become my fave to write for, for this story. Hee! Thanks for your support!


	13. Chapter 13

The building wasn't a true castle. At least not like any castle Allura had ever seen. She supposed it could be what passed for one amongst the Simestians, but to Allura it was nothing more than a large house, grand though it was. It was a three level house, though Allura did not yet know if there was a basement floor in addition to the three she had counted from the outside.

It was made up of a dark brown stone, and had ivy and creeping moss covering much of it's sides. The yellow and orange of the moss almost swallowed up the stone from sight. There had not been enough time to even begin to remove it, other repairs needing to be done before the house could be deemed livable. Allura knew this because Lotor had told her so. He would explain to her how a small party of Drules had advanced to Simestia ahead of the group Allura had traveled with. Those Drules had been busy, repairing the house, bringing in supplies, even seeing to outfitting a wardrobe for Allura.

She hadn't meant to, but some part of her couldn't help being interested at the mention of clothing. Lotor had grinned at her reaction, promising her that soon she'd be out of the maid's outfit. She had immediately paled, fearing just what he meant by that. Did he intend to ravish her now, inside this house? A real thread of panic began to form inside her, Allura trying to edge away from Lotor. He would notice, and take hold of her hand, all but dragging her up the steps that led to the main entrance of the house.

They passed by other Drules, the men and women moving about, carrying things inside. They hadn't brought much with them. In fact it seemed they had carried only enough supplies on their ships to last just a few days longer than the actual travel time from Kirentya to Simestia. To Allura's eye, it looked as though they planned to stock up on supplies elsewhere, might even bolster the local village's economy by purchasing the needed goods from the people here.

Ryder was standing inside just past the entrance, a data pad in hand. He was studying it with a frown, occasionally looking up to bark out orders at people. Lotor drew Allura along with him, the pair approaching the Drule with the blue streaked hair.

"Problem?" inquired Lotor.

Ryder didn't so much as flinch in reaction, staring down at the information on the tiny screen. "Just a bit." He admitted with a sigh. "Seems the wiring is all messed up. Some kind of rodent chewing on the tubing. They'll have to be replaced before we can get power for the mansion."

"Is it that big a problem?" Lotor wondered. "I mean, it'll take what...two, three days to fix it all?"

"Try more like a week." Ryder grumbled. "The local village is out of basic materials for the job. Mordis already sent ahead to the next nearest village to see if they have the things we need. It'll take time and money to get everything repaired. Our current situation leaves us with just the basics, some minimal lighting. Damn climate control isn't even working...forget about our electronics."

"It won't be so bad." Lotor said reassuringly. "It'll be like one of the Academy's camping trips. A bit of roughing it won't harm anyone."

"No, it won't." Agreed Ryder. "But it will delay us further. Can't get to work on those forgeries and fake ids, if the computers are down."

Lotor frowned, but Allura felt relieved to hear that. She was in no rush to be carted off to a new life in another galaxy. It might be a hopeless situation she found herself in, but Allura thought it better the longer they remained on Simestia. Even as isolated as this world was, it was still part of the Denubian Galaxy. There was always the chance for her to escape, or for help to arrive. The chances were certainly increased then if Allura ended up in another galaxy, far from everything she had ever known, and dependent on Lotor and these other Drules.

"Guess it can't be helped." Lotor sighed, and now it was Ryder's turn to be reassuring.

"It won't make that much of a difference. After all, we don't have to worry about anyone coming after us so long as they think you're dead, and the impostor princess remains on Arus."

Allura felt she couldn't remain quiet any longer. "That impostor is bound to slip up eventually. And when that happens, the Voltron Force and the Alliance will tear apart the galaxy looking for me."

"We'll be long gone before that can even happen." Lotor told her.

"Besides...Mara's not one to make mistakes." Added Ryder. "She's an expert at acting."

"An expert at deceit and manipulation no doubt!" grumbled Allura. She looked at Lotor, then at Ryder. "Does not either one of you feel bad about what you're doing? About this deception you have put into place? Lotor, your own father and people think you're dead...!"

"It's because everyone believes I am dead, that this plan is able to work." Lotor retorted. "Allura...the people who matter, the people who would mourn me, are here with us now. No one else need to know the truth, nor would they care."

She frowned at that. "Not care? How can you say that? Especially after what I've been told. Your...friends here went through a lot of trouble to paint a picture of how invaluable your...kindness to the people of Doom has become. If you are gone, dead or otherwise, who else would be there to support them? Who else to take care of them, lend them medical and financial aid?"

Those questions troubled Lotor, his lips flattening into a thin line. Allura noted Ryder did a sidelong glance at Lotor, but otherwise did not react to what she had said. She wondered what that look meant, even as she waited for Lotor to somehow offer up an excuse for what he was doing.

"The trust funds and charities I have set up will continue." He said at last. "Haggar will see to that."

"Haggar?" Allura repeated in disbelief. She couldn't imagine the witch ever doing anything to help anyone, especially not without benefit to herself. "And you trust her? To the point you're certain she won't take the money and use it for herself instead?"

"Haggar has no need to steal. From me, or the people I seek to help with that money." Lotor answered, tone stiff with displeasure. He grew even more so when she frowned, Allura wanting to know how he could be so sure about that. "The witch is loyal..."

"Loyal to herself maybe..."

"You don't know her." Lotor retorted. "Not her true self. Not the sides of her that have nothing to do with being Arus' enemy. Haggar is loyal, to me and to Doom. She'll do what she can to help. and not just me but the people of Doom."

For one brief moment Allura just stared at him, hardly able to comprehend the idea of Haggar being loyal or devoted to helping others. To Allura, the witch Haggar always had an angle, some manipulation to work to better her own situation. But Allura couldn't figure out how Haggar would benefit from Lotor running away from his empire and responsibilities.

"It won't be the same." Allura finally said out loud. "If what I've been told is true..."

"It is." Ryder interjected in a gruff tone of voice.

"Then the people of Doom need their prince. They need you, Lotor." He looked uncomfortable, shifting his stance and turning his gaze away from Allura's. She held in her sigh, and glanced at Ryder who was watching them both intently. "Tell him I'm right." She implored.

Ryder's own expression was unreadable, the man locking eyes with Allura. There was a look in their golden depths, but she couldn't decipher the feeling behind it. "Princess, somehow I get the feeling it's not any desire to help the people of Doom that moves you to speak." His tone was cool, she could practically imagine the icicles forming around his words. "If anything you're motivated by the desire not to leave the Denubian Galaxy."

Allura opened her mouth, ready with a heated retort. Then promptly closed it. His words were truer than she would like to acknowledge, Allura wanting to remain in the Denubian Galaxy. And all because she knew her chances for rescue or escape would be less once she was taken elsewhere. More than anything, Allura wanted to go home. To return to Arus. It was that desire that motivated her, and she might say just about anything, even advocate Lotor's return to his war mongering ways, in order to achieve it.

"I don't want to leave the galaxy it's true." She finally acknowledged. "Nor do I like the thought of people suffering, especially if there is a chance someone could help them. Your prince, he is in prime position to offer aid. And no matter how much money he gives Haggar to distribute, it won't be the same as if he was there working to improve his kingdom!"

"My hands are tied in that regard." Lotor's voice drew her attention back to him. "Zarkon likes how things are. As long as he's alive to maintain the status quo, nothing will change. Nothing will EVER change!" His hands had curled into fists, Lotor looking a mix of frustration and anger.

It was beyond Allura to truly suggest someone murder another person. Even if that person was one as twisted and evil as Zarkon. "Can't you...force him to step down...?" She asked hesitantly.

"Zarkon won't go quietly. There would be a fight, a battle for succession. Even if I had the backing of the majority of the nobles, it would still bring war to planet Doom. It would be bloody and costly both in money and lives."

"Some sacrifices may be needed in order to bring change to Doom." Allura told him. She glanced at Ryder, who was studying her carefully. "What do you think?" She asked him. "Or is it so long as you can start over elsewhere, you don't care that you're running away? That you're abandoning Doom to a tyrant?"

"There are things you don't understand." Ryder said. "Things you can't possibly guess at. But if you knew..."

"RYDER!" Snapped Lotor loudly. For one brief moment, Ryder's expression took on a guilty look. Allura looked at both men, and frowned.

"Knew what?" She asked. It was apparent by both Drules' silence she wasn't going to get an answer. "Tell me..."

"It's nothing." Lotor said.

"It doesn't sound like nothing." Allura pointed out. "If anything, it must be pretty serious. Something that has motivated you to turn your back on everything. Something that makes starting over seem the easier option." And still neither Drule said anything, Allura's frown deepening. "I have a right to know!" She snapped, placing her hands on her hips. "Especially since you've dragged me into your mess! If I'm going to start my life over, I should know the reason why!"

Ryder's expression was back to being unreadable, though his gaze slid towards Lotor. "She has a point..." He began, and Lotor actually let out a growl.

"Point or no, you know my reasons."

"That I do." Sighed Ryder. But Allura got the feeling he wasn't entirely happy about keeping her in the dark about it. She couldn't really do anything about it now though. It was clear Ryder would keep silent so long as Lotor was around. But maybe, just maybe Allura could get the full story from Ryder, provided she could question him without Lotor getting in the way.

"I don't understand." She said out loud. "Why the secrecy...what's more I don't like it. I don't like any of this!" She added with a glare. She was faced with two unreadable Drules, though beneath their blank expressions Allura could sense the tension contained within them. This subject matter was upsetting them, though Allura came away with the suspicion that each man had his own reason for getting upset.

Ryder glanced at Lotor once more, then began fiddling with his data pad. "The wiring problem extends to the cottages." Allura fumed silently, realizing it was a clear dismissal of the previous topic of conversation. "Some don't even have regular lighting. And forget about climate control..."

"It won't be a problem during the day." Lotor replied. "But the temperature drops pretty fast come nightfall."

"The mansion is equipped with a working fireplace." Ryder continued. "Mordis made sure to get the chimney cleaned out, so it's in working order. Although..." A teasing smirk. "I'm sure you'd much rather rely on blankets and body heat to stay warm." Ryder glanced at Allura, smirk getting more pronounced. She turned flustered at the implication, knowing she did not want to spend her nights snuggling with Prince Lotor. Even worse, she had a feeling Lotor would want to do a lot more than just snuggle!

"We'll manage." Lotor said, not giving any hint towards where his thoughts lay. "What about cooking...? Is the wiring damaged in the kitchen as well?"

"Most of it." Grimaced Ryder. "Seems we'll have to hold a cookout on the front lawn. It really will be like camping..."

"Better to rough it, than to go without." Lotor told him. "What about the upstairs bedrooms? Are they ready yet?"

"Oh yes." Again that smirk from Ryder. "It was one of the first tasks Mordis and the others completed. The master bedroom should meet with your approval now that's

it's been aired out, and thoroughly cleaned."

"Excellent!" Lotor smiled, and reached for Allura's hand. She was still fuming about being kept in the dark, but unease was also manifesting, which caused her to try and avoid Lotor's reaching hand. She didn't have much success, the prince snagging hold of her right hand. Allura gave him her fiercest glare, which seemed to bounce right off of Lotor. "You've got everything under control?" At Ryder's nod, Lotor was moving, dragging Allura along behind him. "Then if you'll excuse us?"

"Go." Chuckled Ryder, his attention returning to his data pad. "Make yourselves comfortable and have some fun."

Allura didn't think she'd like the idea of a Drule's idea of fun. Especially if it involved going into a bedroom with Prince Lotor! Her steps were reluctant, Allura all but being knocked off balance as Lotor moved at a brisk pace. Seeing his hurry only increased her nerves, Allura too upset and worried to do much noticing of her surroundings. There was many open doors, revealing rooms that weren't all cleaned. She'd catch vague impressions of cobwebs in the corners, of dusty cloths covering furniture.

Other rooms had had a thorough cleaning, but Allura wouldn't discover which ones until much later. This house was one that hadn't been used until recently, as the dirt and disrepair showed. She'd almost be worried to walk up the stairs, the wood rickety and moaning in protest. Lotor had no concerns, leading her up the two flights to the third floor.

There weren't any Drules on this floor save for Lotor. The doors here were open as well, revealing empty bedrooms that hadn't gotten the treatment Ryder implied the master bedroom had received. It made her wonder if this meant she and Lotor would have the third floor all to themselves. Allura hadn't seen much of the second floor, but she assumed it held bedrooms as well. Somewhere for the other Drules to sleep, since there was too many to fit comfortably inside the cottages she had seen.

Not that knowing the others would be near by was any great comfort to Allura. She assumed there would be no help coming from them if their prince turned frisky. If anything, Allura thought they'd listen to the sounds of Lotor's aggression with approval. It was not a mean spirited thought she was having, just what Allura believed to be honest fact. Even worse, this certainty that there was no help, no stopping Lotor from what he intended to do with her, it made Allura start to panic. To the point her hands grew clammy with sweat.

Lotor had no comment for the dampness on Allura's hands. Instead, he walked determinedly towards one room in particular. Allura tried to dig her heels into the floor, but found herself crossing the threshold into what had to be the master bedroom. It was dim in here, clean curtains drawn over the windows to block out the sunlight. Someone had taken the time to place a battery powered lamp in one corner. It was it's weak light that allowed Allura to make out some of the details of the room.

There was a vanity in the corner opposite the lamp, an array of things laying out on the table. Not quite in the center of the room, was small table that could seat two. Perfect for taking in a morning's meal. There was even a love seat situated next to one of the covered windows. And two more doors, one of which was open. She could just make out the end of an ivory bathtub, which let her know what that room was.

The other door would turn out to be a small walk in closet, the room stuffed to overflowing with clothing. There was some for Lotor, but the majority of the wardrobe seemed to be devoted to Allura's pleasure. But it was not yet time for Allura to discover her new wardrobe, the princess trying not to panic now that they had reached the bedroom. Her eyes drifted towards the bed, whose mattress lay on a mahogany wood frame. It was far larger than any bed she was used to, Allura realizing this was a bed meant for a couple to share.

She was still staring at the bed, dread in her stomach when Lotor closed the door behind them. He didn't slam it shut, and yet Allura still jumped at the sound of it closing. Even worse, Lotor noticed her reaction, the man speaking to her.

"Easy Allura..." He spoke softly, approaching her from behind. "There's nothing to be frightened of. It was just the door closing. It's not even locked."

Bitterly, she thought he hadn't locked it because Lotor knew there was nowhere Allura could escape to. The other Drules would stop her. They would bring her back, hand her over to Lotor and whatever he intended to do to her in this room. Her panic increased a notch, Allura's lips parting as she forced herself to take a deep breath. And then another, Allura trying to master her fear through concentrating on her breathing.

Any attempts at breathing normal were lost when Lotor put his arms around her. She found herself being pressed against a broad chest, Lotor inhaling, breathing in her scent. "God you smell good." He commented, rubbing his cheek against her scalp.

Allura was frozen in place, body stiff and unyielding. She wasn't hyperventilating, but neither was she able to concentrate on taking calming breaths. "Lo...Lotor...do...don't..." She stammered, hating how the words weren't coming easy to her. She had not yet tried to pull away, having turn into a living statue in response to being hugged by Lotor.

"Don't deny me this, Allura." Lotor almost sounded as though he was begging. "Don't deny me the chance to hold you."

She couldn't stop him. Allura knew that. The difference in strength between them was vast. But she couldn't even move her arms, not even to make the attempt to try and pull him off her. A part of her wondered if she could move into the stance Hunk had once shown her, the one which might allow her to do a shoulder throw to her opponent. But could she even managed to lift a Drule as large as Lotor?

Wondering these things didn't help calm her. It just made her aware of the overwhelming differences between Drules and humans, especially Drule males and human females. But at least she hadn't started to cry, or to wheeze. That was something, especially with Lotor this close and touching her in this way.

"You're trembling." Lotor noted in a soft tone of voice. Allura realized with a start it was true. At some point she had started shaking, slight at first, until the trembles became noticeable to the one holding her.

"Ye...yes..." She managed to say.

"Is being held by me that detestable a thing to you?" Lotor questioned. She wondered how to answer that. Wondered if the truth was wise in this moment. Apparently Allura took too long, for Lotor was speaking again. "It's my fault..."

"Your fault?" That was the last thing she had expected him to say, and it left Allura confused.

"If I hadn't gotten sick..." Lotor sighed. "We'd be over this hurdle already, if I hadn't had that relapse. You'd no longer be so tense around me, so fearful of my touch."

"You expected a miracle to happen in a few days time." Allura retorted.

"Is that what you think it will take?" Lotor asked. "A miracle for you and I to be together? To touch, to love, to be happy?"

"Yes." She managed to move enough to shake her head. "I don't love you."

"Not yet, you don't."

She frowned though he couldn't see her expression with her back to him. "Not ever. This is crazy Lotor. You've kidnapped me! You're intent on dragging me off, to force me to live a new life with you. As if I could ever be happy abandoning Arus...my home, my people, my friends and family." He didn't say anything, but his hold loosened. "Maybe you can be happy with running away. But I can't...I won't!" She stepped away from him, Lotor no longer trying to hold her to him. "Lotor..."

"Would you still feel that way, knowing what is at stake?" Lotor interrupted her. "Knowing that without me to run interference, Zarkon's military would kill you or worse?" She shivered, and he noticed. "Yes...you have a right to fear. Zarkon hates you, hates you for what you stand for. Hates you for the resistance you offer him, and the hope you've given others. But more than that, he hates you for what he thinks you've done to me..."

"You? What have I done?"

"He thinks my love for you has ruined me. I'm a valuable tool to him. Or at least I was until he involved me in the take over of Arus." She had turned to look at him, aghast. "To some extent he's right. If not for you, Arus would have fallen a long time ago."

"Don't be absurd." Allura tried to scoff, but couldn't muster up the proper amount of bluster. "We have Voltron. Our defender would never fall."

"How little you know. How little you realize!" Lotor exclaimed, seeming agitated. "I've interfered in Doom's plans for conquest time and time again. I've held back attacks, modified plans to keep you from being harmed. Even knowing my interference would cost us victory, I still acted to protect you. If I didn't care, if I didn't love you, it would have been easy to make Arus fall!"

She stared at him, Allura not sure what to believe in response to what Lotor was saying. "Don't hate me for continuing my attempts to protect you. I want to save you from Zarkon. And this is the only way I know how, the only way I can guarantee you won't be killed, or suffer such indignities that death would be preferable! Without me, you stand little chance of surviving Zarkon's wrath. And that is something I find unacceptable!"

Allura had no idea what she could say to something like that. She didn't want to agitate Lotor any further, nor did she want to fall into his arms in gratitude. But her mere silence was upsetting him, Lotor starting to scowl.

"Lotor...I..." A pause, Allura trying to figure out what to say. "I had no idea..."

"And now that you know?" Was that hope in his eyes? But she was dashing it with her words.

"It changes little...no...it changes nothing." Allura said. "I still don't want to leave the Denubian Galaxy. I still want to return to Arus, to fight. Whether I live or die, whether or not I am tortured most cruelly, I have to know I tried to fight. To stand up for what I believe in."

"I'm doing what I have to, to survive." Lotor retorted. He stepped towards her, his hand cupping her cheek. She managed not to tremble, not to jerk back in reflex. "But more than that, I am making sure you survive as well. We may never agree on this. But it is my wish that you won't hate me completely for trying to protect you."

"It's not wrong to want to protect somebody..." Allura noted Lotor was bending down, as though intent on kissing her. But then her words stopped him cold. "But your methods? They leave much to desire. You can't decide what is best for me, and then force me to do it. Not and expect me to be happy, and not resent you for it."

He abruptly stepped back, hand dropping away from her face. Allura stared at him, her eyes earnest and pleading for him to understand. For Lotor to do the right thing, and return her to her world.

"There's a closet behind that door. I'm sure you will find something infinitely more pleasing to wear than that maid's uniform."

"Lotor!" Allura exclaimed, but the prince was turning away from her. "I don't care about the clothes. I just want to go home!"

But he didn't respond, walking over to open the door, then leave. She hurried after him, but he closed the door behind him. She screamed out his name, then pounded her fists on the door. It wasn't locked, but his dismissal was apparent. Lotor no longer wanted part of this conversation. It was frustrating, Allura kicking the door to vent her upset. And then she was whirling away from it, running over to the covered windows.

She didn't really think there was a chance to escape. Not with so many Drules on the estate. And yet Allura still harbored a delusional thought of climbing down the outside of the building. She ripped down the curtains, then gasped. The windows had bars on them. It would be the same with other two windows, each one thoroughly barred so that she could slip no more than a hand between them.

Allura almost screamed in frustration. The bars only made her feel like she as in prison, made her feel like the captive she truly was. It would be a long time before she calmed down enough to do anything but glare at the windows. Even longer before she could focus enough to scheme, Allura wondering how and if she would get the chance to plead for help from the village locals.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Wade Wells, aw thanks! That makes me happy to hear! Oh man...feel bad for Lotor...feel bad for nearly everyone in this story (Except Zarkon!)! That's all I'll say! ^^'' Everyone's so absued one way or another...or almost everyone. As for updating, I'm trying to stagger out the chapters cause I'm currently on a Valkyrie Profile writing kick...so all my Voltron stories are being neglected. *cries* I am falling behind badly...But VP is my other love! *torn between Voltron and Valkyrie Profile*

Lotor Sincline, thanks. More to be revealed about his mom and even what went on in the house they're staying out in future chapters. Close...yes and no. It depends on what you mean by close. Allura's still gonna be grumpy and paranoid for a while yet...I think her epiphany (If it can be called that!) happens like maybe 25? Maybe sooner...I can't remember truthfully...and I'm so tired. I'm going to bed now!


	14. Chapter 14

A loud trill of sound came from the data pad, the device being used to scan the bar code on the side of the large box Vorlac carried. Immediately information flooded the tiny screen panel of the device. Ryder quickly went over the information, processing it with a sort of absentmindedness that was not normal. Not for him. It didn't stop him from directing Vorlac, Ryder announcing the box contained medicines that Doctor Orvan would hopefully not need to make use of any time soon.

Vorlac would nod, and hurry off to the room that had been cleaned up and transformed into a temporary infirmary. Ryder didn't watch him go, his eyes back on the data pad. Almost on automatic, he would scan the next box brought to him, identifying the contents inside. Once identified, the box could be taken to the proper room, and there someone would unpack it.

They were settling in, making the mansion and the near by cottages livable. Lotor had not thought to question it, which was lucky in and of itself. Ryder knew the prince would be livid if he knew the Drules were intending to stay on this planet for weeks, maybe even months. And all because they had no real intention of leaving the Denubian Galaxy, in giving up on their home world.

It would be difficult to explain the delays. Lying about how long the paper work and forgeries would take, could only buy them so much time. Allura could be a distraction to the prince for only so long. Sooner or later Lotor would start to wonder. Ryder could only hope that eventuality would come after he had healed enough to realize how crazy an idea it was to run away.

Abandoning the people of Doom had never been the true intent. At least not of the Drules traveling with Lotor. There was no way they could leave the Drules of Doom to Zarkon's cruel mercies and twisted rule. Just as there was no way possible to pack up an entire people and move them out of Zarkon's reach. Even a group as small as the one that had traveled to Simestia was pushing it. There was simply too many Drules present to travel unnoticed, let alone successfully integrate them into new lives elsewhere.

Of course he hadn't told Lotor that. None of them had. They were content to let Lotor believe what he needed to. It was a lie, but one that comforted Lotor. And all because the prince was not yet healed enough to take on his father for the throne. Even as Lotor's body healed, his mind, his mental and emotional well being were still in danger. Lotor was fragile, made that way from years of abuse at his father's hands. The abuse had driven him to the point Lotor would rather run, rather give up completely than stand and fight.

He was so different from the man Ryder had known in the Drule military academy. That Lotor had been full of confidence, thriving away from his father's grasp. He had commanded respect, loyalty. But more than that, he had earned life lasting friendships. Ryder had seen the kind of man Lotor could be if Zarkon was out of the picture. And he was the kind of man the Doom Empire truly needed. A man who would be a caring, considerate leader. A man who would bring change to Doom, improve the situations the common people suffered through.

Boxes continued to be scanned, continued to be directed to the proper rooms. He barely noticed what he was doing, too deep in thought. For Lotor to save the people of Doom, he himself first needed to be saved. Needed to be healed. Ryder didn't think any of the Drules could get through to Lotor. Maybe no one could. But Ryder didn't want to think like that. Didn't want to believe it was hopeless where Lotor's healing was concerned.

He wasn't much impressed with what he had seen of Allura, especially regarding her attitude towards the Drules. And yet he, along with so many other Drules, would pin their hopes on the princess. A hope that she could do what they could not. Maybe just being around Allura would be enough for Lotor to recover. Maybe getting a taste of happiness in her arms, would motivate him. Move Lotor to fight to retain what he had, what he and Allura could have together.

Or maybe Allura would challenge Lotor enough to get him thinking in new ways. In realizing running away, abandoning Doom was not the right course for him. She was already trying, though right now Allura was purely driven by selfish desire. She did not want to leave the Denubian Galaxy, did not want to go anywhere with Lotor. Allura wanted to return to Arus, to her home and her life there. But even she sensed how wrong it was of Lotor to turn his back on his crown and his people.

She had already tried to sway Lotor to give up on this scheme of his. Allura wasn't yet ready to care about the Drules of Doom. That much was obvious. And yet she argued for them, tried to compel Lotor to return to Doom. She had even suggested he try to force Zarkon to step down. It was naive of her, Zarkon would never give up his power so long as he still drew breath. Someone would have to kill him first. That someone HAD to be Lotor. It would be disastrous otherwise.

Lotor was the rightful heir to the throne. But more than that, he might be the only one of noble blood who cared enough about the common folk to do something to improve their lives. Without Lotor, the throne would be up for grabs. The nobles would start a civil war, fighting for the right. The people would suffer, and continue to suffer even once a victor emerged. And all because most if not all nobles did not give a damn about those they deemed beneath them.

Allura might not have realized how right she was about the people of Doom needing their prince. It was something Lotor did not want to face, Ryder remembering how uncomfortable he had looked during that moment in the conversation. Lotor was a good man, and some part of him had to know that even with all the charities and trust funds he had set up, it wouldn't be the same as having a ruler the Drules could rely on. A ruler who could bring change to the empire. Throwing money at a problem wasn't a cure, at best it was a temporary fix.

Allura was saying the things Ryder and the other Drules had avoided speaking of. The harsh truths that Lotor did not want to face. Even if Allura didn't care about the Drules, it still was impressive. She moved to save herself, and in the same breath tried to engineer a saving of the Drule people. It didn't matter what her motives were, so long as it helped Lotor and the people of Doom.

And who knew. By the time this was all over, Allura might have come to embrace a new point of view where the Drules were concerned. She might even go gladly to Doom, might even want to become Prince Lotor's in every way possible.

"And pigs will fly that day." Ryder grumbled under his breath. His growl drew a few curious looks his way, but Ryder didn't try to explain his unease. Instead he hooked the data pad onto the side of his belt, and did an idle gesture with his hand. "Everyone take a breather. No sense working us ragged in this heat."

Immediately boxes were set down, the Drules moving to form groups. They began to talk, idle chit chat that Ryder wanted no part of. He had enough on his mind to not concern himself with whatever was passing for gossip among the group. Instead he headed towards the kitchen, which was a room large enough to accommodate the vast amounts of food that would have to be prepared in order to feed the Drules.

Unfortunately no cooking could be done yet. Not with the wires so badly damaged, cutting off much of the mansion's power. The damaged wires were a mix blessing. They inconvenienced everyone, and yet they bought them more time. A week's worth where Lotor would not expect them to be working on establishing a paper trail for their new lives.

He snorted, knowing even if it was possible, the amount of people with them would be a nightmare to create new identities for. It would involve a lot of hacking into computers to create the proper credentials for each person. Someone would be bound to notice identities being created for a group as large as this. Lotor's plan might have worked if there was only a handful of people leaving for new lives.

But it was a moot point. Neither Ryder, nor any other Drule would actually create any type of new identity. They would create documents though, ones to show Lotor should the prince insist on seeing proof of how far the work had advanced. Still it wasn't a pleasant prospect, to lie so thoroughly to his friend and lord.

Entering the kitchen, Ryder saw there was several portable coolers unpacked. They wouldn't keep things cold indefinitely. Before the night was through, they would have to use up any meat and other cold related food stuffs, or risk it spoiling. Ryder knew the Drules were planning to have some kind of barbecue when it got dark. A small party to celebrate their successful journey.

He walked over to one of the coolers, opening the lid. The drinks inside were thankfully still cold. If there was one thing Ryder hated, it was warm beer. He popped open the tab, ready to gulp down the drink when a voice spoke from behind him.

"Toss one my way."

"Sure." Ryder reached for a new can. "But is it okay?" He turned, and threw the beer towards Lotor. "The doctor did say you should lay off the alcohol for a few days."

Lotor easily caught the beer in his hands. "I'm fine." He insisted. "Doctor Orvan just worries too much."

"He has good reason to. We all do." Ryder pointed out. "You nearly died on us."

"But I didn't." Lotor retorted. "And I won't. Not when I'm so close to getting a new life, a better life..."

"Still.. better not to take too many chances where your health is concerned." It didn't stop Lotor from popping open the can, and taking a long drink from it. Ryder held back a sigh, privately wondering what the harm could be. He tried to tell himself the doctor was just being overly cautious, but couldn't forget the sight of Lotor sick in bed.

"My health is fine." Lotor insisted.

"Yeah...I suppose it is..." Ryder agreed. He took another swallow of his beer. "So...future's all but secured, health is fine...what about your love life? How goes things with the fair Allura of Arus?" Lotor's expression soured at the question. Ryder nearly sighed. "That bad eh?"

"That bad." Agreed Lotor. "She's upset and confused."

"Can't really help you with the upset part. I suspect that's something Allura will have to work through on her own." Ryder said. "Don't get me wrong. I can understand why she's feeling that way. We did kidnap her after all." Lotor said nothing to that, busying himself with his beer. Ryder hesitated a moment. "You could...explain things to her. Explain why you're doing what you're doing..."

"And risk having her pity me in the process?" Lotor demanded sharply.

"You don't know that she will." Ryder retorted. "There's a chance..."

"If Allura pitied me...I wouldn't be able to stand it." Lotor insisted. "Bad enough you and the others pity me..."

"Hey now, we don't!" Ryder protested. Lotor gave him a bleak look. "We don't!" Ryder insisted. "We're ANGRY. We are outraged that Zarkon would treat his own flesh and blood this way. It makes us wish we could have done something more to help you."

Lotor didn't look entirely convinced. "You've done enough. After all, you've all agreed to come with me on this journey."

"But we should have been able to do more!" Argued Ryder.

"You would have gotten killed for the attempts." Lotor pointed out. "Zarkon would not tolerate any interference. He certainly wouldn't appreciate others telling him how to handle his own son." Lotor set down the beer "It's fine, really it is. You've done more than enough After all..." A forced smile. "You're coming on this journey with me."

Ryder shifted, reminded now of the fact they were all deceiving Lotor. It made him more than a little uncomfortable. "Yeah. That we are." He agreed.

"I'm grateful." Lotor continued. "You're all helping me so much. Its a favor I intend to repay. Somehow, some way."

"Forget about it." Ryder told him. "You owe me...us nothing." Lotor seemed ready to protest, which Ryder didn't want. So he tried to deflect the conversation from the topic of Lotor's gratitude. "So how come you're here with me, rather than with the lovely Allura? Wouldn't think much of anything would keep you away from her for long."

"She needed time to be by herself." Lotor answered. "Time to think...to come to accept that her future lies with me."

"Hmmm..." Somehow Ryder doubted Allura would use that time away from Lotor to come to terms with what was happening. But he didn't say that out loud. "Would be easier if she knew even part of the truth. Nothing to make her pity you!" He hastily added. "Just...Allura had a point. If we're going to uproot her entire life, doesn't she deserve to know why?"

Lotor was silent a moment. "I told her what's at stake. Told her that if I left without her, how she would be in danger from Zarkon. How he would kill her if she's lucky, torture her if she's not."

"How'd she take hearing that?"

"It didn't seem to matter. She was scared, but Allura said it changes nothing. That she has to stay, and fight for what she believes in, even if it ends in misery and death for her." Lotor sighed. "She's far too self sacrificing for her own good. Especially when her enemy is a man as twisted and evil as Zarkon is..."

"Zarkon brings new definition to the word evil." Ryder agreed. "Pity about the princess. But I suppose she won't make things easy for you. She'll make you fight to win her, to win her acceptance and love." Ryder was positive even if Allura fell in love with Lotor, the princess would never want to just abandon the Denubian Galaxy to a tyrant like Zarkon.

"That's a fight I intend to win."

"Any idea how?" A curious Ryder asked.

Lotor sighed. "Not a one."

Ryder was surprised. "You're usually so confidant about winning her. I thought for sure you'd have some ideas..."

"I've been so consumed with just getting her here...I haven't had time to come up with a plan." Lotor admitted. "Plus I was unprepared for just how deep her fear of me runs...Ryder, she's scared. So scared she overreacts to nearly everything I do. She acts as though I am as bad as Zarkon, as though I would truly hurt her."

"So you have to show her you won't. Prove to her that the fear she feels is unfounded."

"Easier said then done." Grumbled Lotor. "It kills me...not to be able to hold Allura without her fearing what I will do next. That my very touch causes her to panic, and forget how to breathe."

"That's bad." Agreed Ryder.

"And a reaction I've hardly earned." Lotor added. "I just want to love her. To worship her, to put her up on a pedestal to be admired."

"Er...no offense, but don't tell her all that" advised Ryder. "It'll only make Allura think she can manipulate you, boss you around. A bossy princess is the last thing you want to deal with."

Lotor couldn't even crack a smile. "What would you do if you were me?"

"Ah..." Ryder paused, trying to imagine pursuing some prissy human female. It was difficult, and all because Ryder didn't think he could tolerate a woman like Allura, one who was so bigoted against his own kind. No matter how lovely the female, he felt it wasn't worth dealing with her fear and hatred of his own kind. But that was not something Lotor would want to hear. "I wouldn't let her walk all over me." He finally said. "Just because you're in love, you shouldn't have to change who you are. I've seen men, ones who have been turned inside out by a woman. I don't want that to happen to you..."

"Allura's not that kind of girl!" Lotor protested. Ryder wisely kept silent about his feelings in regard to that. "She's kind, and caring. Perfect."

"Now hold up!" Snapped Ryder, slamming his beer down on a nearby counter. "That's the kind of talk we have to prevent. Telling a woman she's perfect, hell even thinking it, is only an invitation to disaster. No woman is perfect, and any one that believes she is, well there's something wrong with her!"

Lotor was left staring at Ryder. The Drule turned flustered, a bit embarrassed about his outburst. "Why do I get the feeling you speak from experience?" Lotor wondered out loud.

"I'm no saint." Ryder told him. "Like you, I've had my fair share of women." But that was all he would say about that. "Just be careful your highness." Ryder continued. "I don't want to see you get hurt by Allura." He didn't want to see Lotor get hurt by anyone, but he'd settle for saving him from being burned by the princess of Arus.

"I'll be careful." Promised Lotor. "And Ryder? Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Ryder said, and picked up his beer. "Well, I guess I better go and make everyone get back to work. Those boxes won't unpack themselves."

"Anything I can do to help?" Lotor asked.

"Don't be absurd!" Ryder told him. "With your body still healing, your back still torn up? No. You just sit back and relax. Read a book or something." But Lotor was following Ryder out of the kitchen. "Or better yet, think about how you're going to win over Allura. Plan your courtship strategy."

"I'd do that if I knew where to start..." Lotor sighed.

"Well, you better think of it fast..." Ryder said, walking through the mansions' hallways. They were nearing the stair case, several Drules including Vorlac sitting on the lower steps. Those Drules were laughing as they talked, totally at ease in the moment. They'd still be grinning when footsteps sounded on the stairs, the Drules glancing up at the newcomer. They'd quickly scramble to their feet, an appreciative look in their eyes.

Princess Allura of Arus was stalking down the stair case, a determined look in her eyes. She was out of the maid's uniform, having changed into one of the many new outfits that had been given to her. She was wearing a summer sun dress, predominately white, with lilac lacing and a pattern of tiny gold and purple flowers on the bodice. The skirt was trimmed with ribbons, and cut short above the knees. Her arms were bare, only thin straps holding up the front of her dress. It was more skin than Ryder have ever seen the princess of Arus reveal. No wonder the other Drule males were all but salivating over her.

Ryder had stopped when he realized Allura was approaching. Lotor had drawn up short besides him, his golden gaze focused on Allura. She had a moment of indecision when she saw Lotor, and then her eyes narrowed. Ryder had time to think whatever Allura was about to say and do, it could not be good. He even had the unsettling feeling that she was about to cause trouble, though Ryder never dreamed it would be a trouble that would inconvenience him personally.

"Allura..." Lotor somehow managed a smile, even in the face of Allura's fierce look. "You look lovely...beautiful..."

Self-consciously she touched her skirt with one hand, then locked eyes with Lotor. "I have a request."

"A request, huh?" Ryder was instantly wary, wondering what Allura would ask for. A pity Lotor did not show that same wariness, the prince moving to take the princess' hands in his.

"Anything. Ask and it shall be granted."

"Within reason." Interjected Ryder, shooting Lotor an urgent look. But Lotor wasn't looking at anyone but Allura, and could not see the warnings Ryder tried to give him. Allura could ask for anything. It was foolish to agree to a request before one knew what she wanted, and even more disastrous to appear so eager to please.

"Don't worry Ryder." Allura said, seeming resigned to Lotor's hand holding for the moment. "It's nothing too burdensome. I know none of you will return me to my home."

"You're going to have a new home, Allura." Lotor said. "A safe and happy one with me..."

"That remains to be seen." Allura was haughty for a moment. "But I didn't come to argue with you about our future..."

"Then why did you come?" Ryder asked, curious.

"I...want...need to have confession."

"Confession?" Both Drules were confused, not having expected that as a request.

"Yes. I go to confession once a week...and I will not have this kidnapping interrupt my religion if at all possible!" Allura exclaimed.

"What could you possibly confess to?" Ryder wanted to know. She shot him a dark look.

"That is private! It's to be between me and the Gods, and an agent of theirs."

Ryder and Lotor exchanged looks. The Drules didn't have confession the way some of the other popular religions did. Their communion with the Gods was done in private, prayers offered up to absolve them of any sins. There was no holy person as an intermediary for confession. Nor had they brought a holy person with them when they had traveled to Simestia. It had seemed unnecessary.

"Will you deny me this?" Allura asked, looking at Lotor. "Will you deny me the chance to be absolved of my sins?"

"No! Of course not!" Lotor immediately assured her. "It'll just take some time to get someone to come up to the house."

"We probably won't be able to get anyone until tomorrow." Agreed Ryder. "I'll send someone to go make inquiries in the village."

"Thank you!" Allura said it with real gratitude. It was surprising, and instantly made Ryder suspicious. Lotor was oblivious, smiling at Allura, ready to lead her off on a tour of the mansion.

"Leave it all to me." Ryder said, dismissing them. "I'll handle all the preparations." And he would. If Allura was planning something beyond confessing her sins, she was about to get a nasty surprise. And all because Ryder would not allow himself or his prince to be played for a fool.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Wade Wells, thank you! And glad you picked up on the distance I am trying to imply by for once not having Lotor call Zarkon father. Sometimes I find myself slipping up, because I'm so used to having him use the word father. But I usually catch those mistakes, and correct them for this story. *nods* Aw, you make me blush with the cool story comment. I just worry big time that the first 17 chapters aren't that good. It's no secret, that until I got to the late teens, I felt very hard on myself and this story. I worried it was stupid, and kinda got myself depressed. Luckily some friends, especially Tenjp and Megs helped get me over this rough moment, and tat carried me forward into where I feel the story really starts to shine. I still have doubts for the early chapters, but I love what's coming up for the readers! And myself, to have to write! :D

There will be some more about Lotor's mom. Especially about what she tried to do, to get herself and the young Lotor away from Zarkon. It'll be a shocking revelation, that's for sure. And yes, Allura and me as the author, have an uphill battle to get Lotor to change his way of thinking. I hope I'm up for the challenge...he's so stubborn! Thanks again! 

Lotor Sincline, Ha ha ha, I heard about the Coran taking down someone with dinnerware. I think on deviant art someone made an action figure mocking that moment! Gosh, the new show has a lot of WTF moments eh? Allura able to knock down someone robeast sized? Really? Geeze! 0_0 I will keep working on this...just maybe slowly. It's hard balancing two fandoms at times. Every time I update on VP stuff, I'm like, "oh no! It took away from Voltron's time." And vice versa. And then I get the urge to work on both at the same time, and that isn't possible...X_X I'm glad you're enjoying the story by the way!


	15. Chapter 15

He could hear the faint sound of laughter which seemed to echo it's way through the house. It was a nice sound, happy and warm, matching none of the memories Lotor had of this place. He liked that someone could be happy here, liked that their pleasure wasn't born out of the suffering of another. The happy laughter was almost enough to chase away his memories of that other sound, Lotor faintly recalling the cruel jeering sound of his father's voice.

It wasn't a voice easily dismissed. Especially not in this place, a house full of a lifetime of memories. Lotor tried to tell himself the things that had happened here, had happened to a whole other Lotor. A Lotor who had been weak and unable to do anything but watch. Certainly that Lotor hadn't been able to protect anyone, let alone himself. Not like he was able to do now, Lotor taking a sidelong glance at the girl walking besides him.

She was Allura of Arus. Beautiful and kind, she was one of the bravest women he had ever known. He admired her for that, for the spirit that filled her. He loved her. It was a love that made him go to great lengths to protect her, had allowed him to endure unbelievable pain and punishment in her name. He'd do just about anything for her, including the things Allura would not agree with. She certainly didn't agree with being brought here. Nor did she like the thought of turning her back on everything she had ever known. But Lotor couldn't leave her behind. Couldn't risk the fate that would befall her if he wasn't there to run interference. He knew, had always known Zarkon would KILL Allura at the first available chance. And though Allura insisted she would fearlessly face her death if it meant standing up for what she believed in, Lotor felt he knew better.

Lotor had to keep telling himself that someday Allura would understand why he had needed to do what he had done. Why he had had to take away her options. Why it was better to lose some of her freedoms, than for Lotor to leave her behind to suffer at Zarkon's hands. Lotor had already lost one woman he had loved, to that monster. He wasn't about to lose a second.

His fingers tightened possessively on Allura's hand, a sign of his unspoken resolve in the moment. Allura made a sound of discomfort, Lotor having held her hand to tightly. He turned sheepish immediately, offering an apologetic word that she seemed to ignore. That was all right with him, Lotor continuing to hold her hand, to lead her through the slowly being restored mansion.

It wasn't all that different from his memories. Abandoned for years, there had been little to any change done to decor, to the many rooms that made up the building. The most noticeable difference about this house, was the atmosphere of the people inside it. The people here changed the very feel of the building, made it feel more like a home than it ever had before. It was still strange to be back here, but the strangeness was eased by the fact he was surrounded by friends. By people he trusted rather than those who had sought to make this building a prison and a nightmare for the young prince of Doom.

Lotor shook his head again, trying not to let any bad memories come forth and overwhelm him. He did not want to give the past any more power than it already had on him, Lotor fighting to concentrate on the here and now. To that end he focused on the hand he held, the soft skin of Allura clasped against his. She was warm where he touched, and her small hand offered such comfort to the Drule prince.

He looked at her often, paying more attention to Allura than to their actual surroundings. Even as he led her on a small tour of the house, he was more taken with her appearance than any of the rooms he showed to her. Maybe someday soon, he'd be ready to look at the mansion through Allura's eyes, but for now he was content to let her distract him from it.

That included fielding her questions, Allura as inquisitive as ever. She wasn't letting her fear of him, or her upset over her situation stop her from being curious. Mainly her questions was about the planet, Allura wanting to know any and everything she could about Simestia and it's people. Lotor enjoyed this chance to talk with her, noting she didn't tremble so long as all he held was her hand.

"Simestia is a self sufficient world." Lotor said to her. "Fertile if a bit backwards when it comes to technological advancements."

"I suppose years of isolation are to blame for that." Allura muttered. He nodded.

"It's true. Contact between worlds has always played a part in a planet's people advancing. Was it not Earth, who benefited most of all from those first contacts with alien life forms?" Lotor asked her.

"I didn't study Earth's developing years that closely, but I do recall reading mention of how they made an astonishing leap in technology from studying the things left behind by those first visitors to their planet." She eyed him then, look almost challenging. "Of course, those first visitors were a friendly sort. They wanted to help the Earthlings. Simestia had no such luck when the Drule came to their world."

He didn't deny it. "Zarkon wasn't interested in developing the planet, in helping the people. He took everything he could get his hands on, from the people, to the food and resources they relied on."

"It's a wonder Simestia even recovered..." Allura sighed.

"The Simestians proved a sturdier people than first thought." Lotor smiled, a kind of wistful look in his eyes. "They are survivors, first and foremost. They were determined to cling to their lives here on this planet. To recover it and themselves from Zarkon's abuse..." His eyes darkened then, Lotor thinking of how there had been many wrongs committed to the planet and it's people.

"It is much the same with Arus." Allura pointed out. "It took years for my people to heal as much as they have. Sometimes, they still return to the caves when Doom's ships appear in the sky." Her own dark look, and then Allura was shaking her head no, as though trying to break free of some memory.

"You're people are to be commended." Lotor told her. "Much like the Simestians, you Arusians had no one to rely on. You fought off Zarkon, restored your cities, and you did it without the help of the Galaxy Alliance."

"You're forgetting it was the Alliance's own Garrison that sent a special task force to Arus. Those men helped to find and revive Voltron."

"And what were their motives for doing such a thing?" Lotor demanded. She frowned at him, Lotor hurrying to explain. "Where was Garrison, where was the Alliance during the sixteen years Zarkon had control of Arus? Why did they not try to help you? Why wait until they realized your people had something they could use?"

"The Galaxy Alliance was busy. Fighting the threat of the Doom Empire as your father tried to invade new worlds." She retorted.

"The Galaxy Alliance is huge. It's military vast. Surely they had the resources to lend aid to Arus. But they didn't. Not until Arus had something they wanted." Lotor words only made Allura glare harder. "It all comes down to money." He continued. "The Alliance can be as greedy as Zarkon, choking out stiff fees from those worlds who can pay for membership."

Allura was upset, but unable to deny it. Lotor remembered the day at the embassy, how he and Mara had overhead Allura's conversation with Keith and that one Garrison General. "The Alliance would use and toss aside Arus just as quickly...no even faster than Zarkon would. They'd take Voltron and leave your people with nothing...no way to defend themselves against Zarkon."

"Isn't it the same for you as well? Wouldn't you take what you want from Arus, and damn the rest to slavery and misery?" Allura demanded, voice heated. She might know he was speaking the truth about the Alliance where Voltron was concerned, but Allura didn't have to like it.

"I..."

"Don't try to deny it." Allura interrupted him. "It's practically what you're doing now!" Her blue eyes blazed with angry emotion, Allura trying to jerk her hand free of his grip. "You've taken me from my people, and left some impostor in my place. What is left to Arus, but to become enslaved by your father's empire?"

"I'm sure Arus will manage..." Lotor said the words, but even to himself they were unconvincing.

"Manage how?" Allura demanded. "Does that impostor even know how to pilot a ship? And what happens when she tires of her charade? Will she just leave Arus, leave my people vulnerable to Doom's invasion?"

He hesitated. "Are you discounting the other four pilots so quickly?"

"I don't even know if Keith and the others are still alive!" Allura exclaimed, tone bitter. "No one will tell me anything about what happened at the embassy. Why is it such a big secret? I deserve to know at least that much!"

"It's no secret." Lotor told her. "The other just thought they'd leave it up to me to tell you."

"Then tell me already!" Allura cried out impatiently. "Please." She added at his hesitation.

"There was a shoot out at the embassy." She seemed to wilt at hearing that, but Allura did not cry, did not look away.

"Go on." She ordered, bravely ready to hear the rest of it.

"There was casualties on both sides." Lotor continued. "Mostly, it was the soldiers who died."

"Mostly?" She questioned sharply.

"There was a casualty or two among the world leaders. That was before the rest were taken to safety, leaving their guards to battle the Empire's soldiers. Your friends, the pilots of Voltron? They were not among the casualties."

"Thank the gods!" Allura breathed out, closing her eyes for one moment. He wondered what thoughts she had in the moment, if Allura thought the fact that the pilots had survived, meant her chances at rescue was increased. She might simply be relieved to hear her friends were not dead, but Lotor didn't believe for a moment that Allura had given up all hope of escape or a rescue.

It was cruel of him, but Lotor wanted-had to dash those hopes of hers. He knew the sooner Allura gave up all thoughts of getting away from him, the better it would be for them both. The easier it would be for Allura to accept the idea of a life with Lotor far away from Arus and Doom, and the troubles of the Denubian Galaxy.

"My body was found among the dead Drules." Lotor said, studying her reaction to the words. Allura's eyes snapped open, her shaken expression troubled. "You can thank Mara for that." He managed not to smile then. "And Haggar, for it was she that enchanted one of the necklaces to give the illusion that the wearer looks like the crown prince of Doom."

Allura opened and closed her mouth several times before speaking. "So that's it then." She finally said. "The whole galaxy thinks you're dead, and that the princess of Arus is safe among her friends."

He wasn't ready to tell her about the problems that had popped up, the Alliance holding onto the dead, including that of the supposed prince of Doom's body. It was all because Lotor didn't want Allura building up her hopes that the deception would be discovered, though truthfully he would remain uneasy until word came that Haggar had disposed of the body.

"There's no one to suspect the truth." He said out loud. "Mara is too good an actress to ever make a mistake...By the time her charade is at an end, we'll be long gone from this galaxy."

"No one is that good an actress!" protested Allura. "She won't be able to take over my life so completely. There are things she won't know...things that will alert the others that something is wrong."

"And what are those things?" questioned Lotor. "No...don't bother. I can't trust that you'll be truthful with this." He smiled slightly at the wide eyed look she gave him, Allura feigning innocence. "I know enough to know you'll try to trick me. To tell me something in the hopes I'll contact Mara. That she'll then adjust her behavior to take on the traits you provided. No doubt whatever information you gave me to give to her, it would be something that would immediately alert everyone to the fact Mara is an impostor."

She didn't try to deny it, nor did Allura praise him for his skills in deducing a supposed plan of hers. "You think you've thought of everything." She huffed out angrily. "But you are not perfect, Lotor!"

"I never claimed to be." He smiled then, thinking of his friends. "Fortunately, with Haggar and the others helping me, I'm sure we've covered all the bases."

She frowned at him, seeming to grow even angrier. "Someone is going to make a mistake. This many people involved, someone is bound to slip up."

"No one is going to." Lotor replied, tone still calm. "You haven't been paying much attention if you underestimate the desire these people have to escape the trials of

Doom. They want to be free of Zarkon's reach. So much they are risking their very lives in coming with us on this journey. If someone messes up, we all pay. We're all going to be dead men...Zarkon won't show anyone mercy, not even me, his own son."

Allura shivered then. Was she any closer to understanding just what was at stake for everyone involved in this scheme of his? "Surely...he won't kill you." She began, tone hesitantly. "You're his son..." Her look turned uncertain in response to his shrug. "He needs his only heir..."

"He needs nothing and no one." Lotor said, and turned his back to her, fighting to control his expression as memories struggled to overwhelm him. Zarkon's words came to him, echoing in his ears. Telling him he was worthless, that he should die for his many failures. And with those words, Lotor swore he could feel the pain of claws scratching along his skin, a whip tearing him open. He shuddered, but managed to keep from clamping his hands over his ears, Lotor remaining as composed as he could manage given the intensity of the memories. The memories made him positive Zarkon had given up on him, that he had been ready to kill Lotor should the prince fail one more time.

Shuddering again, Lotor told himself he had removed himself from that situation just barely in time. Zarkon's last whipping had nearly succeeded in killing Lotor. The prince had been so weak, so beaten in the moment. He was positive he wouldn't have survived another session at that torturer's hands. Just as Lotor had known that once he died, everything he had fought to protect, would have been destroyed. Allura captured, tortured beyond belief until death would have been a mercy to her. The one mercy Zarkon would grant her, the King furious with the princess, and wanting her destroyed for all he blamed her for.

An uncertain touch on his arm, Lotor actually flinching before he could stop himself. It was better than lashing out at her, Lotor relieved he hadn't struck out in a violent motion to avoid her touch. Still Allura gasped, taking several steps away from him. He turned to look at her, and saw how she stared, wide eyed and confused.

"Lotor?"

"It's nothing." Lotor said, though it was a lie. The pains he had suffered, the abuses done to him, the countless fears he had harbored? They would always be there. Always matter, always leave their impact on him. The scars on his soul were dredged in deep, might be as permanent as the marks on his back. He'd always be affected by them, so long as he remained within Zarkon's reach. Even as far out as planet Simestia was, Zarkon lingered, his corruption having left memories that haunted this very building.

Suddenly it didn't matter that this house was full of friendly laughter. This building was too big a reminder, Lotor remembering the feelings of a young, horrified boy. His skin seemed to crawl with unease, Lotor drawing in a ragged breath.

"It doesn't seem like nothing." Allura quietly observed.

He could have cursed then. This house, the memories were making him vulnerable. Weakening him. He never wanted Allura to know about the abuse he had gone through, the many inventive ways Zarkon had tortured him and his mother. She would pity him if she knew, and pity wasn't love.

"I just...just need some air." He finally said. What he needed was her, Lotor feeling as though the touch of Allura's skin against his would help to chase away much of the demons that haunted him. But as upset as he was, Lotor knew better than to make a grab for Allura. Not when such a move would only serve to frighten and upset her.

Whatever look showed on his face, it was enough to let Allura know not to question him further about his strange behavior. She simply nodded instead, though she never smiled. "Then let's go outside." She decided, and waited for Lotor to lead her through the house. He wanted to take her hand, and knew even that much would be enough to have him pulling her into his embrace.

"Yes." He spoke to show he had understood her, gesturing for Allura to follow behind him. If she was surprised that he was allowing her to walk without them holding hands, Allura did not show it. She simply moved to trail behind him. Lotor forced himself not to walk faster than normal, all in order to keep up his pretense of being fine.

They walked back the way they had come, and the closer they got to the front foyer of the mansion, the more people they saw. Including Ryder, who met Lotor's eyes with a questioning look of his own. The Drule with the blue streaked hair had noticed the tension, had noticed that Lotor was no longer holding onto Allura. And that made him wonder what had happened, the Drule shooting a dark look at the princess. Lotor shook his head, letting Ryder know with that motion it wasn't Allura's fault that he was upset.

The front doors of the foyer were open, Lotor making a bee line for them. He breathed better once he was outside, smelling the crisp clean air of Simestia. Already it was growing cooler, the sun not yet set on this day. Drules were outside on the lawn, setting up tables and chairs for the night's cookout. Tesla was watching as several began constructing a fire pit, using large stones to circle around the hole they had dug.

"Are you...okay now?" Allura asked from behind him. Her concern made him want to hug her to him, though Lotor refrained from that impulse. He merely nodded, motion stiff as he turned to her.

"I'm sorry." He said out loud. "We'll have to complete the tour some other day."

"It's fine." She told him. "Didn't seem like there was much left to see. Not with so many of the rooms unprepared."

"They're only cleaning up the ones we'll need." Lotor explained. "We were never meant to remain here long." And as far as Lotor was concerned, they couldn't leave soon enough for his liking.

"It's a lovely house." Allura said. "Even in it's run down state, with so many rooms covered in dirt and cobweb, I can see glimmers of it's former beauty. I'm surprised the Simestians never tried to restore it."

He ran an agitated hand through his hair. "They wouldn't have wanted to bother." Not after all that had happened here.

"Why wouldn't they?" Allura asked, her question innocent. She was just curious, trying to pass the time by gaining knowledge about her surroundings.

He told a half truth then. "This building became a symbol of the Drule. It is where they held court, where many crimes were committed." He glanced at Allura, watching as she processed the words. She shivered then, as though imagining just what those crimes were.

"And the Simestians? They will tolerate Drules occupying this building once more?" Allura asked.

"We don't intend to repeat any of the crimes that happened all those years ago." He told her.

Another challenging, near defiant look from her. "No just new crimes, like kidnapping me, and faking your own death."

"We all do what is necessary for our survival." Was Lotor's answer. "Just as we would all do what it takes to get free of Zarkon's tyranny."

"I don't condone running away!" She exclaimed. "You and your friends should stay and face Zarkon. Fight him. Not just for yourselves, but for all the people. The people of Doom, and of the Denubian Galaxy."

"It's not that simple..."

"Overthrowing a tyrant never is." Allura told him. "Lotor, you can give all the money you have to make things better for the Drule. But it's only putting bandages on a wound that needs stitches. They won't heal so long as Zarkon is there to keep cutting them up!"

He always known that. But to Lotor, Zarkon felt like an insurmountable problem. One he couldn't overcome. It was better to cut his losses and run, than risk losing anything more to the fiend. Especially someone as precious as Allura!

"I can't say I understand why you are doing this." She continued. "And I'll continue to not understand, so long as you won't explain your reasons. Your TRUE reasons. Lotor, I am no fool. I can tell there is something more going on. You may not want me to know about it, but the others do." He turned to her with an alarmed expression, Allura holding up her hands. "No one has told me anything concrete. But the way they act, and the near slips up some have had? It lets me know there is a story to be had. And I won't stop until I know exactly what it is, you're trying to hide from me!"

"Allura, you would dig into things better left alone." Lotor told her.

"How can I not find out about them, when these things drive you to do this? To kidnap me and run from your responsibilities!" Allura exclaimed, frustrated. "The Lotor I know would never just give up and abandoned his empire because the going got a little too rough for him!"

"You don't know me well enough to make that decision one way or another." He turned bitter then. "You've never given me a chance to get to know me. You've run from me every chance you've gotten. Well, Allura? This time there will be no more running, not for you. You will get to know me. And through that knowing, just maybe you'll realize I am not the monster you should have been fearing all this time!"

I hated this chapter when I first wrote it. I thought it was all over the place, and stupid. I was glad to have it over with and hoping future chapters would be better. Now that some time has passed, I can't see why I hated it! XD funny how that works!

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Lotor Sincline, thanks! Ah...Allura's intentions will take a while. The holy person for the confession? Well the arrival kept getting delayed as other things happened. But it'll be good! I promise! XD Glad you like the now revealed motive of the other Drules. I still have a long ways to go before Lotor comes close to being healed and fighting with them to overthrow Zarkon. X_X


	16. Chapter 16

Night had finally fallen, and with it's arrival came a drastic decrease in temperature. It was cool enough now, that her summer dress left her shivering, even with it's matching sweater buttoned up over it. Allura found herself inching closer to the fire, trying to leech some of it's warmth for herself. She tried not to be obvious about what she was doing, arms held by her sides rather than hugged around her.

She stared into the heart of the fire, watching the flames dance trapped in the stone pit. All around her, she could hear voices talking. Laughing. They were friendly people, seeming happy and carefree. The conversations came easy to them, a mix of basic and Drule being spoken. Allura appreciated that they didn't try to shut her completely out of the conversation. Even as she wondered just what was being said behind her back, Allura having an extremely limited grasp of the Drule language. She knew only a few phrases, curses and ways to demand their surrender.

Certainly she didn't know enough to ascertain any of the secrets that might be potentially spilled before her. It grated on her nerves, the thought that the Drules might be discussing their plans, maybe even laughing at how they kept Allura in the dark about their schemes. Plans that would affect not only their future, but Allura's and Arus' as well. Of course, Allura could understand why they kept the information from her. If she could, she would have used that information against them. Tried to thwart their plans before they could be implemented. As it was now, she was floundering in the dark, with little true purpose other than to escape and return to her home world.

She missed Arus. She missed her home, and Allura missed her people. Even before she had been kidnapped, Allura had been gone for too long. The journey to planet Kirentya had taken several days. She had barely been settled into her hotel, before Allura had had to go to the embassy for what was supposed to be the first of many long meetings. That meeting had ended in disaster, Allura whisked away by Lotor, while some kind of violent shoot out had happened at the embassy.

She could only be relieved that the casualties on the Alliance side had been minimal at best. It would have been pure chaos if more world leaders had died that day. Even the two that had passed on, was an unacceptable loss to Allura. But she didn't spend much time wondering what would happen to those worlds, now that their rulers were dead. Not when the more pressing problem of her own kidnapping loomed over her.

She worried for herself, but more than that Allura worried for Arus. She knew there was an impostor ruling over the planet now, and feared what that meant for her people. What kind of decisions would this Mara make? Allura didn't know, but what she imagined was bad enough. Money wasted, lives ruined. And that was before the Doom Empire came a calling. Allura couldn't imagine a Drule truly fighting against Zarkon's might. She thought this Mara would turn tail at the first sign of trouble, leaving Arus to flounder in an attempt to save itself.

The only benefit to such a desertion, was the fact that everyone would realize that Mara was not the true princess of Arus. But she couldn't be cheered at the thought that once Mara abandoned Arus to it's fate, the Voltron Force would come looking for Allura. She didn't want to sit around, waiting for a rescue Arus did not have time to devote to. She HAD to escape. And Allura knew she had to do it soon.

A shiver then, Allura thinking it might not be soon enough for her liking. She didn't trust Lotor. Didn't trust his intentions towards her. It was one of the reasons she was insisting on remaining outside, even though she was chilled to the bone. Allura feared what would happen once they went back into the house, worrying Lotor would finally make good on the threat that she would be with him. Be with him in ways she wasn't prepared for, anymore than Allura was prepared to leave the Denubian Galaxy and start her life over elsewhere with Lotor.

Even as she feared his plans, Allura's mind turned over his scheme. Trying to understand what would make Lotor come up with such an insane idea. She had meant it when earlier she had pointed out that the Lotor she knew would never just abandon his empire. It just didn't fit her image of him, Allura thinking him a power hungry despot who was greedy and grasping for more gold, slaves, and territory. Never would she have thought Lotor would turn his back on the luxurious life of an empire's crowned prince.

To Allura, Lotor was a spoiled man. Used to getting what he wanted. It conflicted with the image the Drules gathered here tried to paint of him. That of a charitable prince, one who gave out of his own pocket to help those in need. She remembered the stories told to her, the pain some of the Drules had been willing to share with her. Their pain had been real, Allura sure the Drules weren't lying to her about that. And yet for all the realness of their stories, she still couldn't buy the idea of Lotor as a hero. How could someone who invaded worlds, also care enough to help others? It just didn't match up, and that made Allura sure she was missing something.

She was no fool. Allura had noticed the slip ups, the fervent desire some of the more hostile Drules had had to share with Allura some truth. A truth Lotor didn't want them talking about, judging by the way he, and even Ryder and Vorlac, worked to stop and remind the others to keep quiet about. But Allura's curiosity was roused, the girl wanting, needing to know the missing piece to the puzzle presented before her.

Once again Allura wished she had bothered to study the Drule language beyond the few words she had picked up in dealing with them. The conversations continued around her, more and more people switching to their native tongue. It only fueled her suspicions that they were plotting something. She had to fight not to turn and glare at the nearest group of Drules, Allura instead pretending to be oblivious to the talk around her. This time when she heard laughter, it set Allura on edge, the princess' hands curling into fists at her sides.

Two females came closer to the fire. In their hands were some kind of meat, spitted and seasoned. They would position the meat onto the make shift grill that stood situated over the fire, occasionally rotating it so that all sides would get cooked. It wasn't the first time Allura watched these two women work the grill, and sometimes a man joined them. The three were the designated cooks for this barbecue, and the results of their hard work was a mouth watering display, the gathered Drules extremely appreciative of the dinner.

Allura had had little appetite. The food wasn't the problem. Even the company wasn't enough to put her off eating. It was her situation. Hers and Arus, that she worried about. How could she even think of siting back and enjoying herself, when so much was at stake? Even the galaxy was in danger, because if Arus fell, Voltron would end up in Zarkon's hands. And she shuddered to think of the evil he would use her father's robot for.

She was still in the midst of shuddering, when arms came around her. Allura actually started in fright, feeling as though her feet would have left the ground if not for the arms holding her against a muscled front. A soothing whisper of sound breathed into her ear, but Allura hardly relaxed. Not even when Prince Lotor tried to offer her reassurances, telling her there was no one here that would actually hurt her.

"That remains to be seen." Allura murmured, stiff in his embrace. Lotor had not let go of her, pressing into her back with his chin resting on top of her head. He had them stand like this, facing the fire. Allura didn't know what sort of expression he wore, but it must have been a content one for the two female cooks kept smiling as they looked towards their prince with his captive.

Lotor was quiet a moment, seeming to digest the words she had whispered. She felt the tensing of his arms around her, Lotor not quite fierce as he asked her a question. "Has anyone here been unkind to you?" He demanded. "Has anyone threatened to hurt you?"

She didn't answer in the manner he wanted. "YOU'RE hurting me, just by keeping me here!" Allura pointed out. She didn't even want to get into the details of how much it would hurt her, if he forced her into his bed.

"I know it seems that way." Lotor said with a sigh. "But someday...you'll understand. This was done to protect you!"

"Protect me all you want, but it still doesn't justify what you're attempting to do." A stubborn lift of her chin, Allura staring hostile at the flames that eagerly licked at the cooking meat. "Lotor...protecting one person while endangering millions of others? It's not right! It's not right at all!"

"I can't protect everyone." Lotor said, after a moment's pause.

"The galaxy's too big for that." She agreed. "But you have to try to protect those you can. It's what I do everyday! Or at least, what I did do before you kidnapped me!"

"There will be others to keep the galaxy safe. Captain Akira..."

"They need me Lotor." Allura interrupted. "They can't form Voltron if they're short one pilot."

"They have Mara." Lotor retorted.

"But for how long?" Allura demanded. "From what I've heard, it was never a long term goal for her to remain on Arus. What then?"

"There's a million things that can happen during that time. Empires can form, change, even be crushed."

"Do you honestly believe that the Doom Empire will be destroyed before that impostor gets tired of living my life?" Allura struggled in his hold, wanting to be free of his arms. Wanting to look him in the eyes, and force him to face the harsh realties her questions presented.

"I can't know what the future holds." He allowed her enough freedom to turn in his embrace. Allura immediately put her hands on his arms, glaring up at him. "But no...I don't believe anything will happen to Zarkon, any time soon. He'll continue to terrorize the galaxy."

"From what your friends tell me, the people of Doom will suffer just as much as the rest of the Denubian Galaxy!" Allura exclaimed. Was that a guilty look that flashed into his eyes? But Lotor quickly smothered it into an expression devoid of emotions. "If you really are half the man they claim you are, why would you abandon your own people?"

"It's hopeless Allura." Lotor snapped, abruptly letting go of her. If not for her hands gripping his arms, she would have surely stumbled. "There is no stopping Zarkon or his brand of evil."

"It's only hopeless when you give up on believing things can be better!" She argued. "Lotor, I've lived for nearly eighteen years under the threat of your father. I've endured hardship and loss, and yet I never gave up hope that one day things would improve. For me, and for Arus! Good prevails...it's just sometimes it takes time for it to win!"

"Bad things happen all the time." Was his argument. "To good people, to undeserving people. You can't stop it, you can only watch. Hope it doesn't touch you, or the people you care for."

"If bad does happen, you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and continue the fight! You tend to those who have been hurt. You don't turn your back because it's uncomfortable or because it's more convenient!" Allura told him. She frowned when he frowned, Lotor shaking his head no. "You have to keep trying. Otherwise you're already half dead!"

"It's better than the alternatives." Lotor muttered darkly. Allura cocked her head to the side, studying him.

"What does that mean? What do you know that makes you think running away is the answer?" He tried to turn from her, Allura gripping his arms as hard as she could manage. "Is Zarkon planning something?"

"He always has plans."

"That doesn't tell me anything!" Allura cried out frustrated. "Is it some new evil? Something so horrendous, even you can't abide by it? Whatever it is Lotor, tell me! Together we could unite. Fight him! Maybe even win!" But she could see by the look in his eyes, Lotor didn't believe in being able to win against his father. It made her want to scream in frustrated rage. "I am no coward."

"And you think I am?" Lotor suddenly hissed. He had seized hold of her arms, claws digging into her skin. But Allura refused to so much as gasp, bravely meeting his eyes.

"Yes."

A simple answer, but it affected him. "You know nothing!" Lotor snapped. "The things I have..." He suddenly shook his head, but his glare remained even as he let go of her. "No...I will not let you manipulate me like this."

"I'm not trying to manipulate you." Allura protested. "I just want to understand! If you're not a coward, then what are you?"

"A survivor." It wasn't Lotor who spoke, but one of the women tending to the roasting meat. Allura jerked herself away from Lotor, turning to look at the Drule who had spoken. The pretty female had a serious expression, but anger flamed in her eyes. Allura wasn't sure what caused that anger. Was it Lotor, or was this female angry with how Allura had spoken to the prince?

"Survivor?" Allura exclaimed. "A survivor of what?"

"He..."

"That is enough Mitreena." Lotor snapped.

"But your highness..." This Mitreena protested, an almost defiant look in her eyes. "She speaks without knowing the truth. But if she had a better understanding..."

"That is my decision to make." Lotor retorted. "And I say the truth is better left buried."

"You won't be able to hide this from me forever!" Allura turned to face him. "You can try to keep the truth hidden, but it seems these people don't agree with you as much as you liked. They WANT me to KNOW!"

"They won't go against my orders. Not on this." Lotor insisted, but Allura swore he looked uncertain.

"How can you be sure?" She asked. "Do they fear you that much?"

"We do not fear the prince." It was the other female cook who spoke. "He has always been kind, devoted, protective of us. We value him, and the friendship he's given us."

"And this devotion will keep you quiet?" Allura demanded, placing her hands on her hips. "Don't you think I have a right to know considering it's my life you all are uprooting?"

"That is the prince's decision to make." Sighed the female. "We may not all agree with it, but we'll try to honor it." The try was interesting, Allura eyeing the two females. Wondering if there was some way to coax the truth out of them. She made a mental note to try just that sometime in the near future, when Lotor wasn't watching her so closely.

"Is everything all right over here?" It was Ryder who had approached the fire pit. He was looking at Lotor and Allura, expression concerned. Allura then realized all conversation had stopped, as though all the Drules had decided to watch the argumentative conversation the two royals had been having.

"Everything is fine. Just fine." Lotor said through clenched teeth.

Ryder clearly didn't believe it. "You were this close to shouting."

"I need a drink." Lotor said in response, and to Allura's surprise, he actually walked away from her! But she didn't try to follow him, remaining by the fire. Breathing out deep breaths in an attempt to calm her frustrations.

"I suppose you're going to demand I not fight with him anymore?" Allura asked. To her surprise, Ryder flashed her a smile. His fangs were hinted in that grin, the Drule looking amused.

"Oh quite the opposite. I think the debate is healthy for the prince to hear."

"You do?" Allura was shocked, and further so when Ryder nodded, eyes twinkling with mirth. "Does that mean you agree with what I've been saying to him?"

He shifted, expression losing some of his humor. She realized he wasn't going to give her an outright answer, Ryder changing the subject. "We made inquiries in the city. There's only one temple, and they're busy this time of year. But they agreed they could spare at least one person to come listen to your confession."

"Really?" She was still wound up too tight to feel relieved by what Ryder had just told her. "That's wonderful. When will this person come? Tomorrow?"

"Yes, tomorrow." He turned and held out a hand, Mitreena hurrying to give him a plate piled with cuts of grilled meat on it. He said a few words in Drule to the woman, the female seeming to grow flustered in response. She'd actually bat her eyes at Ryder, whose smile would return.

"Thank you." Allura said, actually touching his arm. He looked at her as though surprised by her thanks.

"It's no problem." He said, then walked away from her.

Allura watched him for a few seconds, before turning back to the fire. She couldn't smile, though she wanted to, Allura fearing the Drules would become suspicious of her grin. But Allura honestly wanted to laugh in the moment, triumph swelling in her chest. She tried to tell herself it was too soon to celebrate, and yet elation filled her. And all because the Drules had agreed to her request, so that soon some member of the city's temple would come to meet with her. It was exactly what she wanted to happen, and Allura could only pray that her confession would go off without a hitch. For if Allura had her way, she'd be one step closer to escaping from Lotor and his friends.

Meh...chapter didn't go as far as I wanted...Allura and Lotors' conversation delayed and derailed some things. I had thought we'd have a little of the cookout, and then the rest would be about them retiring to the bedroom. Maybe next chapter will be a Lotor POV as they finally get to the bedroom. Maybe...*eyes cross*

To be Continued...

Michelle

Lotor Sincline, thanks! :) Yeah, the readers get to know more than Allura does at this point. XD It's very frustrating for her!


	17. Chapter 17

The last of the meat had been cooked, the plate piles of it browned and smelling absolutely delicious. The smell alone was almost enough to get Ryder to reach for another helping of the lamb, even with his stomach's protests that it was more than full. It was a pity, but he like many of the others present, simply couldn't eat any more. There had just been too much food made, more than even what several healthy Drule males could eat. There was a reason for the overabundance of food. With the wiring in the mansion damaged, they didn't have the power to freeze and preserve things. The meat they had brought with them, would have surely spoiled, and so they had thought to cook and more importantly eat as much of it as they could.

There was still enough left over that it was a sad waste. Ryder couldn't help but think of the people on planet Doom who would have done just about anything to sample this feast. The starving lower class would have even risked sickness to dine on foods that were spoiled. The situation for them was simply that bad, many of the people dying from starvation.

It was almost enough to make Ryder feel guilt for the amount of food he had enjoyed. He wondered if it was the same for the others present at the tables. They all knew the situation on Doom, knew of the terrible things their people suffered on a daily basis. It wasn't like what the rest of the Denubian Galaxy believed, the slaves weren't the only ones who suffered. Sometimes Ryder thought the slaves had it better, for at least they were fed, limited though the meal might be. And all because the slave masters didn't want to lose their investments, making sure to do whatever it took to keep their slaves alive.

It was grim times on Doom, people scrambling and scraping to get by. Even Lotor with his genorsoity, hadn't been able to help everyone. The princess of Arus was right. The money wasn't the solution to the Drules' problems. What Doom needed was a change, a total reworking of the system. It would help to abolish slavery, would force those who had money to put it back into the economy by having to hire legitimate workers to do the jobs the slaves did for free.

Ryder also knew that so long as Zarkon kept his claws on the throne, this kind of change would NEVER happen. They needed that tyrant gone, and Doom needed to be assured that the person who took his place was someone they could count on. Someone like Lotor.

He glanced up across the lawn, eyes seeking out the solitary form of the prince. He hadn't come back to sit among his people ever since that argument with Allura. Ryder could guess as to why Lotor needed the time alone. And all because Allura had been saying things he didn't want to acknowledge. But it was things he needed to hear, things Ryder and the other Drules had avoided bringing to his attention. Sometimes Ryder wondered if they were going about this all wrong, if they should have tried to use different tactics to help Lotor heal.

He sighed then, the sound loud even amidst the conversation at his table. Most chose to ignore him, but the man to his right spoke up. Ryder found himself the focus of silver eyes, Vorlac raising a ridged brow in question. "What's wrong?"

"Just thinking." Ryder answered. "It feels like we have a long way to go before we can help anyone. Let alone Lotor..."

"We got time though." Vorlac said, his tone hopeful.

"We've got a little." Ryder pointed out. "And even that may not be enough time to get Lotor to be where we need him to be." He didn't even want to bring up mention of the fact that Haggar hadn't been able to get a hold of the fake prince's body. Vorlac knew as well as Ryder did, that the longer that body went without being destroyed, the bigger the chance of their deception being discovered by King Zarkon.

"That kind of healing doesn't happen in one night." Vorlac reminded him. "Especially when you've suffered such abuse for so many years. And for so often!"

"I know that. Just as I know the prince in some ways has suffered the worst out of all of us." Ryder shook his head, frowning. "Zarkon's damaged him. You know how Lotor was at the academy...how different he acted. He was confidant and capable, leading his crew on to many successful invasions."

"And then Arus happened." Now Vorlac sighed.

"Or rather, then Allura happened." Ryder corrected. "I can't say I see what is so special about her, but she matters to the prince. Has mattered to him almost from the first time he saw her."

"Yeah." Vorlac agreed. "He may have been unprepared for those first encounters with Voltron, but the defeats he suffered? They were all his own doing, Lotor intent on keeping Allura safe. Even at the cost of himself."

"He's gone to a lot of trouble, for a woman who doesn't love him back." Ryder grumbled, and now he looked toward the fire. The cooking was done, but the fire still remained, Allura and several other Drules standing close to it for it's warmth. The temperature was continuing to decrease as the night darkened further, and soon even the fire would not be adequate enough to warm them.

"Love makes men foolish. Even princes." Vorlac said, then smirked when Ryder made a scoffing sound. "Even a telecommunication expert will not be immune to love's power."

"I'll keep my affairs to lust, it's much simpler that way." Ryder retorted.

"But you can't keep your heart from wanting what it wants. When love hits, it always hits those who resist it the hardest." Vorlac was still smirking, and he nodded towards the figure of Allura. "She fights with every ounce of her strength to resist Lotor's love. When she falls, it will be most spectacular."

"She can't fall soon enough for my liking." Ryder complained.

"Don't make the mistake of thinking that her love will be the thing that immediately heals Lotor." Vorlac warned. "She will have her work cut out of her, especially if Lotor still intends to keep his suffering a secret from her."

"She's getting frustrated." A new voice had joined the conversation, Tesla taking a seat to the left of Ryder. "She's not the only one. These secrets are a burden, one we shouldn't have to keep."

"We will keep them as long as our prince orders us to!" Ryder reminded her with a growl. "Even if we don't agree with this, we have to respect Lotor's decision."

"It's the wrong one to make!" Tesla scowled. "How can she help Lotor if she doesn't know anything? As it stands, all she does is upset him, making assumptions about his reasons." She scoffed, scowling harder. "She insults him by thinking he's a coward. But if she knew what Prince Lotor had been through, what he had purposefully invited to happen? There's no braver a man than the one who would rather take those beatings than see his love hurt in any way."

"Especially given how vicious Zarkon is." Vorlac actually seemed to shudder. "There's no one as depraved and violent a monster than that tyrant."

"There's not an ounce of good about that man." Tesla hissed. "That he would hurt his own son, does not surprise me."

"He brings pain and misery wherever he goes." Agreed Ryder. "Which is why we have to stop him." He then corrected himself, his words fierce now. "We WILL stop him. Somehow...someway."

"Can't come soon enough for me." Vorlac announced. "If I have to live in a galaxy that is ruled by that monster, why I'd much rather run away to some place where he can't get me." And that was the reason why Lotor believed them when they had all agreed to come with him on this journey. Zarkon was such a terror, that Lotor could easily believe so many Drules would rather abandon their home and galaxy then stay and risk catching the King's attention.

"Would even the next over galaxy be safe, if Zarkon conquers the Denubian?" Ryder wondered out loud.

"Geeze...I don't even want to think about that!" Vorlac exclaimed. "I don't want to think of constantly have to be on the move, to avoid Zarkon."

"We'll all be better off, once he's dead." Tesla stated.

"That is something everyone can agree to. Even Allura." Ryder said. But he wasn't looking at the princess, instead seeking out Lotor. The prince was making no move to approach Allura, seeming content to just stay apart from everyone. It made Ryder frown, the Drule coming to a decision. "Well..." He said, rising from the bench. "They're never going to make any progress if they keep avoiding each other."

"At this point, I think all they'd do is argue." Vorlac said, but he moved to get up as well.

Ryder grabbed two unopened cans of beers that had had the time to grow warm. He fought not to make a face, how he hated warm beer! "They can argue all they like, but sooner or later, they will have to learn to actually talk and communicate."

"Easier said then done." Tesla muttered, remaining at the table.

Ryder did not bother to respond to that, instead stalking determinedly towards Prince Lotor. Vorlac followed along at his side, more curious than anything as to what Ryder was going to do. Lotor himself, didn't even bother to look up at the sound of their footsteps, just standing there staring off in the distance. There wasn't much to see where he looked, the mansion so deep on the property all they could truly see at this time of the city, was lights from some of the nearest houses.

"Hey!" Ryder said, voice purposefully loud. "How long are you just gonna stand here and brood?" By the time Lotor completed his turn, Ryder tossed a can of the warm beer to the prince.

"I just felt like being alone for a while." Lotor said, catching the beer in his hands.

"Yeah, I can respect that. Especially after that argument with the princess." Ryder popped open the tab on his can, watching as Lotor did the same. The beer in the prince's can fizzled and foamed, some of it overflowing onto the prince's hand. The prince calmly shook his hand dry, while drinking some of the beer.

"She doesn't know better." Lotor said, as though trying to defend Allura to Ryder. "She wouldn't say those things if she had any idea..."

"So why don't you tell her then?" Lotor gave Ryder an angry look in response. "I know, I know. You don't want her pity. But uh, haven't you ever considered she might do something MORE than pity you?"

"Like what?" Lotor demanded.

"She could sympathize with you." Vorlac spoke up.

"Isn't that the same as pity?" Lotor asked with a frown.

"Not quite." Both Vorlac and Ryder assured him. But Lotor continued to frown, shaking his head.

"Knowing what happened to me won't change anything where Allura is concerned." The prince insisted. "It won't make her love me."

"No, it won't." Agreed Ryder. "From what I hear, love is trickier than that." Vorlac snorted, surely trying to repress a laugh at Ryder playing wise on love. "But it would get her to stop picking at you about why you're doing this. And if she understands your reasons, Allura could stop wondering, and start getting to KNOW you. And through that knowing, maybe, just maybe, she'd see what we see. Something that would make her fall in love with you."

"You'll both think I'm just being too stubborn..." Lotor actually hesitated. "But I still don't want her to know. I can't trust that she'll put aside what was done to me. That she won't let the abuse color her perceptions of me, that she won't see me as anything but a man to be pitied."

Ryder held back his frustrated sigh, nodding as though he understood and accepted Lotor's words. "All right but...what will you do about the scars on your back? And not just the scars, some of those wounds are still fresh! She'll know you were hurt...and she'll wonder why. Wonder how it happened."

Lotor looked uncertain then. "I don't intend to show her my back any time soon."

"Can't make love to a woman with your shirt on." Vorlac interrupted. "Not all the time at any rate. Not without her getting suspicious as to what you're hiding."

"I don't think she'll let me make love to her any time soon." Lotor said wryly. "And when the time does come, I'm sure I'll come up with a believable excuse as to what happened to my back. I mean I am a warrior. Injuries do happen."

"That they do." Ryder left off that in this day and age, most injuries could be tended to quick enough that they would never even leave a scar. Allura would still be suspicious about why Lotor had allowed his back to be so marked up though Ryder knew the reason. The truth was simply Zarkon had denied both medical and magical healings to Lotor after the whippings and beatings. It was just another sign of how vicious Zarkon truly was.

"Well, now..." Vorlac said it almost causally. "Have you given any thought on HOW you will court Allura?"

"Oh, he's been thinking about it." Ryder answered for Lotor. "I dare say nearly every moment he can."

"I can't say I've been very successful at planning this." Lotor admitted. "I had been so devoted to catching her, to bringing her with us, I didn't, couldn't think much beyond that." He sighed then. "I was...unprepared for how she'd act. How she'd keep on about why I am doing this. She makes it so difficult to talk about anything else!" He look frustrated now.

"I don't know how to get Allura to ease up on that short of telling her the truth." Vorlac said, then hastily added. "Which none of us will do. But maybe in time, we can put our heads together, and come up with some plans."

"I'd like that." Lotor grinned.

"Until then, maybe you should ignore her when she starts in on you about the truth." Ryder suggested. "Just...don't respond to her picking. Turn the conversation to something else."

"Oh that will go over well." Vorlac said sarcastically. "Women love to be ignored."

"I'm not saying to ignore her!" Ryder snapped. "Just avoid talking about that one thing, even if she brings it up again and again. Who knows, maybe eventually she'll get the hint that it's not something Lotor will ever talk to her about."

"Women HATE secrets that they are not part of." Vorlac told them. "They especially hate it when their partners is keeping secrets from them."

"But what can I do?" Lotor demanded, crushing the beer can with his hand. "The truth is too awful to reveal, and we can't progress into a true relationship if all Allura will do is talk about what my reasons are."

That seemed to stump Vorlac, the man shrugging his shoulders. "Don't really know what to tell you."

"Look, it's getting late. I wouldn't be surprised if your princess is fighting off sleep at this point." Ryder said. "It's best we tackle the problems courting Allura presents come the morning. For now, you should take her to bed."

"And do it before she freezes to death out here." Added Vorlac. "Poor girl is shivering so violently. Stubborn that she is, she won't admit that she's cold and go into the house."

"It's not so much stubbornness as her fear of what will happen once we're in the bedroom." Lotor grumbled. "She's got this unnatural fear of me, and overreacts anytime I come too close."

"Sounds like just one more obstacle to overcome." Ryder said with forced cheer. "Don't worry Lotor, I'm sure once she realizes there is nothing to fear from you, it will make courting her all the easier. She'll be able to love what she once feared."

"I hope so." Lotor was wistful then.

"I know so." Ryder insisted, even though he had many doubts where Allura and her capability to fall in love were concerned. "Now go get her!"

"All right, I will." Lotor said, beginning to walk determinedly towards the fire pit. Ryder and Vorlac remained behind, but their eyes were on Lotor as he approached the princess. They were too far away to hear what was being said, but they saw Allura start to shake her head no.

"She's going to make things difficult as usual." Ryder grumbled.

"Ease up on her." Vorlac ordered. "It's not an ideal situation for her. She has fears, unreal and unfound thought they may be. It's bound to be a difficult night. Not just for Allura, but for Lotor as well." He made a frown. "It's going to be slow torture for Lotor to be that close to Allura and not be able to do anything with her."

"Yeah, but it's a torture he can withstand." Argued Ryder. "I mean, if he survived all that Zarkon did to him, what's a little denial where Allura is concerned?"

"Denying them is a sweet torture, but the fact remains it's still a torture." Stated Vorlac. Ryder gave him a disbelieving look. "You may not believe this, but it's difficult for we Drules to hold back from expressing our love. It's not just about the sex...it's about everything, even the small comforts from touching and holding our partner. You probably think I'm making a big fuss over nothing, but Ryder...if ever the day comes that you are so fortunate as to find a real love, you will know what I allude to."

"Yeah, right. Pardon me if I don't rush forward for a love that will make me some codependent, overly expressive fool!" Ryder retorted. "I'm happy the way i am. A love 'em and leave 'em kind of guy. And I don't see that changing any time soon!"

"More's the pity for you." Vorlac said. He had a weird look in his silver eyes, something that both pleased the gray skinned Drule, and hurt him at the same time. Ryder wondered if Vorlac was thinking about his dead wife, and the Drule fervantly hoped his friend was concentrating on the pleasant memories. Judging by the way Vorlac lacked that haunted look, he surely wasn't thinking about the way his wife had been killed.

"I can do without the pity." Ryder said, but Vorlac didn't seem to hear him. Ryder shrugged, and glanced towards the fire pit in time to see Lotor take hold of Allura's hand. Her body went stiff with displeasure, but she reluctantly moved when Lotor began leading her towards the mansion. Her face looked upset, but Ryder was too far away to know if she had tears in her eyes. He could tell Vorlac's words were true. This night would be a troubling experience for both Allura and Lotor. It made Ryder relieved he didn't have any such problem of his own! But then, Ryder knew he had enough to worry about, without some woman turning his head inside out. He told himself, he'd keep it that way, never suspecting that his own world was about to get an upheaval come the new day.

I just want to say thank you to my friend TenJP who helped make me feel better about this story. (Megs did too!) I hadn't been feeling very good about this story, and I think it showed...plus Tenjp helped inspire and brainstorm some ideas for the future. So I want to give credit to her too. Thanks hon!

To Be Continued

Michelle

Lotor Sincline, thanks again! And yes someone does slip info to Allura, but it doesn't happen until like chapter 33. She learns some things beforehand, from various people and even Lotor's own confessions. But the discovery of how bad and his back is not until the thirties. It's some good stuff though! I just finished wriitng 35, though I have to proofread that chapter now. X_X


	18. Chapter 18

Her feet were dragging, Allura's steps slow and exaggerated. She hadn't wanted to move, hadn't want to follow Lotor into the house. Not even for the slight protection against the elements the house would offer her, Allura thinking she would rather freeze to death then go to bed with Prince Lotor. And she had come close, her teeth still chattering even minutes later. The fire hadn't been enough to stave away the night's shocking cold, not when she was garbed in so thin a summer dress. Allura wouldn't be surprised if her skin had turned blue from the chill she had gotten, and she tried to ignore how warm Lotor's hand felt on her own.

That hand of his, had a firm unyielding grip on her own. Lotor wasn't taking no for an answer, marching determinedly up the rickety stair case. Allura had no choice but to trail after him, trying to adjust her steps to keep up with Lotor's quick ones. She wondered if he hurried because he was THAT eager, that hungry to bed her. Such a thought didn't do anything to make Allura feel better, the girl trembling harder from fear than the cold she still felt.

They reached the landing of the empty third floor. Most of the Drules had remained outside, even with the colder temperatures. Soon enough even the Drules wouldn't be able to tolerate the chill, and then they would retire. Some to the cottages, most to the mansion. They wouldn't even care to investigate if she screamed, Allura taking in a gasping breath as she tried not to let her imagination get the worst of her.

Still she half stumbled when Lotor began walking towards the master bedroom. He'd actually turn in concern, putting out a hand to catch her. She stiffened at that new touch, Lotor drawing her against him. This close, she could smell the faint scent of the beers he had drunk. Even one beer was too much, Allura fearing the alcohol would make Lotor behave even worse to her.

Lotor didn't say anything, just keeping his arm around her. She realized then, he was taking advantage of their closeness to breath in her scent. It seemed to make him smile, Lotor losing some of his own tension. A tension she hadn't even realized he was filled with until the prince had relaxed just then. Allura didn't know the reason for his tension except to think he was still upset about their earlier conversation. Allura didn't regret one thing she had said, and still wanted to know just what Prince Lotor thought he was doing in running away from his own Empire.

"Lotor..." Allura began, positive she could distract him from holding her by bringing up that which he found unpleasant. "Why are you doing this?" Before he could pretend to misunderstand her, she continued. "Why are you running away? What possible reason could you have to want to leave everything behind?"

Abruptly he stepped back from her. His smile had faded, gone in an instant. He stared at her a moment, and then Lotor was moving, dragging Allura forward by her hand. Allura held in her sigh, and bit out angrily, "I have a right to know!"

And still he said nothing! She wondered then if Lotor thought she had no rights left. Certainly no rights to the information she wanted, and maybe no rights over what would happen inside the bedroom. She felt the familiar panic flare up inside her, Allura opening her mouth to try and draw in more air. She knew from experience, she'd start to hyperventilate if she focused on the fear, and yet it was so hard not to!

Every step was a reluctant one, and the journey down the hall to the bedroom was a journey far too short. In no time at all, Lotor was opening the bedroom door. She breathed harder for relief, stumbling again as she crossed the threshold of the room. It was dark in here, the lanterns not being able to provide enough light to illuminate things clearly. But she could still see the bed, looming large and frightening against one wall.

Lotor had let go of her hand, though Allura hadn't realized that until the door close shut behind her. She turned, just in time to see Lotor pocket a key, and then her fear and paranoia took over. "You locked the door!" Allura exclaimed, her voice ripe with accusation. "Why did you do that?" But she already knew why, Allura half babbling, part pleading, part demanding. "Open it! Open it right now Lotor!"

"Allura..."

"There's nowhere for me to go!" She continued over him. "Even if I leave this room, where would I flee to? How would I get away, with no money and Drules everywhere I turn?"

"You're a very resourceful woman." Lotor told her. "You're capable of many things..."

"'But even I am not able to do the impossible!" Allura exclaimed. When Lotor stepped towards her, she ran from him. Actually cowered, and fled towards one of the room's two windows. She dramatically drew back the curtains, the bars on the windows revealed. "Why are there bars on the window! Why? Why are you trying so hard to keep me in?"

"They weren't put there for you." Lotor answered, and it was too dark for her to make out his expression from this far away.

"They're to keep something out?" Even in her fear, she was surprised.

"There's no predators here on the estate." Lotor quickly assured her. "Those bars were put up roughly fifty years ago. It has nothing to do with you."

"I don't understand..." Allura shook her head, letting go of the curtains. "I've seen other rooms...they too had bars on the windows..."

"A great many things happened at this house." Lotor told her. "Many...things people would try to escape from. It was out of necessity that Zarkon had the windows barred. And that's all I will say on that."

She frowned at him, trying not to let her overactive imagination think on Zarkon's reasons. It didn't stop her from thinking people would rather risk breaking a limb by jumping out the windows, then suffer whatever it had been that Zarkon had done to the people of Simestia.

"Your father is a horrible man." She said out loud. "But then I already knew that."

"I think you don't know even the half of it." He muttered it, Allura straining to make out the words. She was surprised then, staring at him.

"Just what did he do?" She asked. "What did he do that even you find objectionable."

"There's very little he does that I approve of." Lotor retorted, sounding tired then. "I'd be hard pressed to name them."

"This isn't the first time you've alluded to disagreeing with your father's ways." Allura pointed out. "Wasn't it you, yourself who called him evil?"

"I also said there was no stopping his brand of evil." Lotor reminded her.

"And you know I don't believe that." Allura told him. Her fear hadn't left her, but it receded part ways so long as Lotor stayed away from her. So long as they kept talking about anything but sleeping together.

"You believe in a lot of things." Lotor noted. "But not everything you believe in is real, is possible. You can't stop an evil like Zarkon. I've witnessed countless people who have tried, and died screaming for their efforts."

"Okay fine. Zarkon aside, what about you?"

"Me?" Lotor sounded puzzled now.

"I've heard a lot of things about you. Is it true?" She asked.

"Well obviously not." Lotor retorted in a sardonic tone of voice. I can't both be the monster you fear, and the kind hearted champion of the Drule, can I?"

She didn't try to deny that fear. Both she and Lotor knew of it, Allura's panicked reactions to him too strong. "Can't you be?" Allura asked, her voice more uncertain than she would have liked. "I mean, it's not as if you don't go out and invade worlds. You've conquered people at your father's request, and I haven't heard you do anything to try and make things better for them. Only for the Drules. Only for your own kind."

"I believe I already explained that. Zarkon would never tolerate me helping those that he deemed our enemy." He sighed then. "And Doom has so many. Far more people than I could ever help. I was run ragged just trying to take care of my own people, not to mention keeping Arus safe."

"Safe?" She let her disbelief fill her eyes and her voice. "You call the constant attacks keeping Arus safe?"

"Arus never fell to Doom, did it?" Lotor questioned sharply.

"That was thanks to the Voltron Force's efforts!" Allura snapped.

"Not even the Voltron Force's luck is THAT good." Lotor retorted. "Believe me Allura, when I say if not for me, eventually even the mighty Voltron would have fallen. And if you had not died instantly..." He trailed off, and turned away from her.

"Your father would have killed me." Allura tried not to be affected, tried to state it in a matter of fact way.

"Eventually." Lotor agreed. "But before that he would have broken you. Tortured you until you begged. Not for mercy, but for the sweet oblivion death would provide you." He still wasn't looking at her, but Allura felt how disturbed those words made him. They bothered her too, Allura wondering just what Zarkon would have done to her. Allura realized she was probably better off not knowing that kind of nightmare.

"What about your friend? That impostor, Mara? Won't she be in danger then?" Allura asked him, watching as Lotor paced the length of the bedroom. "If Zarkon thinks she's me, won't he try to hurt her? Kill her?"

"Mara understood the risks. It's a dangerous time to be the princess of Arus. Especially without the prince of Doom there to run interference between her and Zarkon." Lotor told her.

"And she still was okay with this?" When Lotor nodded, Allura let out an exasperated breath. "I don't understand this devotion your people have for you, Lotor. They're not only willing to start their lives over elsewhere with you, but they're willing to throw away their lives as well!"

"Isn't it the same for you?" Lotor questioned. "Don't you have people close to you, willing to die for you?"

"Yes, but..." She paused, her cheeks turning red as she realized how insulting what she had been about to say was.

"Yes, what?" He prodded, and she actually looked away from him. "Were you going to say it's because you're not like me?" She didn't dignify it with an answer either way, her blush deepening as Lotor let out a laugh. "I know I'm not as...pure as you. I've done bad things, and my reasons for doing those things don't change that I did them. But I'm still a good person, tainted though I may be."

She struggled to understand that. To Allura, her world was painted in strict black and whites. There was good, and there was evil, with nothing in between. Lotor had always existed on the evil side. He invaded and conquered worlds, had enslaved people, had killed those who would try to resist his empire's control of them. And yet the other Drules had told her of a Lotor who did good things. And that was something that greatly confused Allura, because what evil ever did anything good, except for it's own benefit? And Allura couldn't see how helping the Drules out with money and medical treatments, could ever benefit Lotor.

"I don't understand you..." Allura finally said.

"I know." Lotor replied. "But it is my hope someday you will."

That understanding couldn't come soon enough for Allura. She liked things neat, structured. She wanted to be able to put Lotor on a definite side of her black and white world. Allura didn't want any confusions, didn't want to be uncertain about whether Lotor was good or bad. It was the same with the Drules she realized. Allura had always assumed ALL the Drule were evil. But the people that had traveled with them to Simestia, didn't give off an evil vibe. They frustrated Allura for all their refusal to help her escape, but they didn't seem a bad people. Certainly they had been through hardships, and that was another thing Allura hadn't ever carefully considered. She had though the Drules had a wonderful way of life, growing rich off the suffering of others. But these people had talked about the suffering, had hinted that only those rich enough to afford slaves truly lived the life that the rest of the Denubian Galaxy was so angered by.

She held in her sigh. This kind of thinking made her head hurt. She was so used to the absolutes of her life, Allura wasn't sure she wanted to change her perceptions. Especially where Lotor and the other Drule were concerned. She could only be grateful no one was trying to convince her that Zarkon was actually a good man as well. She almost snorted at that, knowing no matter what was said, there was no way to lessen the evil Zarkon did.

She was still turned away from Lotor, when she heard the sound. Several some things thumping lightly against each other. Allura immediately turned in that direction, seeing Lotor down on one knee. He was fiddling with something, and then she saw the flames spark. He was building a fire, setting the flames to the logs he had set down inside the brick fireplace. The fire brightened the room more, allowing Allura to see it's features better.

She had already looked her fill of the bedroom earlier, and little had changed since that time. The only difference was the bed, clothing laid out on it's sheets. But she made no move to go closer to the bed, just watching as Lotor walked towards it.

"You've already felt it." He said out loud. She made a questioning noise, Lotor continuing. "The cold of a Simestian night. It's very much like an earth's desert. Hot during the day, but once the sun sets, the cold quickly comes."

"It surprised me. Is all the planet like this?" Allura asked.

He nodded. "It's why climate control is so important a feature in a Simestian's house." Lotor grimaced then. "We're pretty much screwed until the wiring can be fixed. The cold will seep in, even with the windows closed and the fires lit." His grimace faded, a small, almost hopeful smile appearing in it's place. "Sharing body heat will help keep us warm."

She didn't like that idea one bit. "Wearing warmer clothes would be the better option." Allura was firm on this, letting her displeasure be known. She wasn't willing to share anything of hers with Lotor, not even body heat.

"Ah...it's unfortunate..." He hadn't lost his smile, whatever Lotor was about to say, he clearly didn't mind. "But our wardrobe options are limited. The clothing was purchased with the mind that there wouldn't be a problem with the climate control."

"How...convenient." Allura muttered, watching as Lotor picked up something slinky off the bed. She realized it was a nightgown, all satin and silk, with a long flowing skirt that would reach to her ankles. Thin straps for the top, which would leave her arms bare. It had a matching robe to go over it, but the robe's fabric was thinner than the nightgown. At least it had sleeves, thin though there were, Allura frowning as Lotor approached her with it.

The nightgown was a royal purple color, something so different from the pink she favored. She didn't have to put it on to realize it would cling to her body, and that it's neckline was less than modest. She didn't want to put it on, and yet Allura feared what Lotor would do if she rejected his offering. Would he just rip off her clothes in response? Would he skip the illusion of modesty the nightgown gave them?

And yet Lotor did nothing more than hand her the clothing. She expected him to do more, as though he would forcefully dress her. Instead Lotor walked away from her, gathering up the other set of clothes on the bed. It was a long sleeve shirt, and draw string pants, Lotor carrying them with him as he headed for the only other door in the room. It wasn't until Lotor had entered and locked the bathroom door, that Allura realized he was giving her the privacy to change. She hated how grateful she felt for that, Allura hurrying to unbutton her sweater.

The nightgown turned out to be a heavier fabric then the light summer dress she had been wearing. It easily slid onto her body, fitting like a second skin to her even over her thighs. When it reached her knees, the skirt flared out. It was like nothing she had ever worn, too clingy and sexual for her liking. Her dislike increased when she caught sight of herself in the mirror, Allura hating how noticeable her body's shape was through the clinging fabric.

With a grumble, she quickly pulled on and belted the robe around her. Lotor had not yet come out of the bathroom, and Allura hurried to the bed. But she didn't get on it, the girl determined not to spend on minute under it's covers. Instead she stripped off the top sheet, and brought a pillow with her over to the love seat in the room. It wouldn't be the most comfortable place to sleep, but it was preferable to being with Lotor.

She didn't think it would be that easy though, Allura laying down, and pulling the sheet up to her neck. She already felt cold, even with the sheet and the fire roaring in the fire place. And then the bathroom door unlocked, Allura's apprehension mounting as she quickly closed her eyes.

"Allura..." Was that amusement she heard in Lotor's voice? "I know you can't possibly be asleep that quickly." She said nothing in response, trying to keep her breathing even as to feign the sleep Lotor knew she wasn't doing.

She heard his footsteps walking towards her, and her stomach seemed to flutter in response. If she wasn't careful, her panic would make her give up the ruse. But Lotor was approaching, and all too soon she felt his fingers sweeping back her hair from her face. "Allura." He said, voice low but not enough to be a whisper. "This is hardly the ideal place to sleep. Not to mention you'll freeze by morning, and end up sick."

She controlled her response, until his hands touched her shoulders, Lotor tugging the sheet off of her. She heard him take in a sharp breath, Lotor apparently liking what he saw. And then he was touching her, hands on her body so that she couldn't hide the trembles that raced through her. And then he lifted her up, Allura's eyes snapping open with a gasp.

"What are you doing?" She exclaimed, though Allura feared she knew already.

Lotor didn't laugh or gloat about her ruse at sleep being unsuccessful. Instead he answered her, and his words made her fear go screaming through her. "Taking you to bed." He said it so matter of fact, and Allura panicked at the true meaning of his words.

She began struggling in his arms, crying out the word no again and again. Lotor held onto her, enduring the slap she landed on his face, not even growling in response. She didn't calm down, feeling as Lotor adjusted his grip so that he could pull back the bed sheet. And then she was being slid onto the mattress, Lotor quickly climbing in after her and pulling the cover over them both. She tried to shift away, but there was nowhere to go. Lotor had put her in on the side that faced the wall, leaving her trapped between it and him.

Allura ended up pressing as hard as she could into the wall, blue eyes wide and staring at Lotor. He stared back at her, expression looking unreadable in the moment. She kept right on protesting, saying the word no over and over again. Lotor reached out to cup her face in his hands, and she immediately tried to bat them away. It ended with her wrists caught in one of his hands' grip, Lotor using his other hand to pet over her hair.

When that didn't calm Allura down, she found herself seated on Lotor's lap. His arms held her to his chest, Lotor snuggling her as close as possible. She shivered and trembled, her voice weaker now. And then Lotor put his lips to her forehead, the move seeming so innocent, it brought Allura's head up in surprise. Her confused eyes looked into Lotor's, seeing the concern there.

"Allura..." He spoke in a soft whisper, which left Allura two choice. Either be silent to hear what he was saying, or keep on kicking a fuss and drown out his words with her protests. She chose the first option, protests abruptly dying. She nearly gasped when he said the following. "What happened to you?" Allura must have gotten a shifty, evasive look on her face, for Lotor allowed the saddest smile on his lips. "Don't try to deny that something did not happen. It's obvious you've been through some kind of trauma. It's the only explanation I can think of for this incredibly strong panic you have."

"Why does something have to have happened?" Allura wanted to know. She was still shaking, her heart pounding furiously in her chest. "Isn't what you're going to do to me, reason enough to fear?"

"All I am going to do is hold you tonight." Lotor told her. She noted his words with suspicion, Allura wondering about tomorrow night, and the night after. It showed on her face, Lotor sighing. "Allura, I won't do anything like you imagine, I won't hurt you."

She didn't, wouldn't believe him, Lotor frowning. "Who did this to you, Allura?" He didn't act as if it was a speculation, Lotor was that sure she had been through something terrible. Even worse, he was right, though Allura wasn't about to admit that to him. "What happened...? Tell me..." He urged, and Allura shifted in his grip.

She took a deep breath, looked Lotor in the eyes, and said rather defiantly, "I will share my secret with you, if you share your secret with me." Allura hadn't been expecting Lotor to agree to that, and for once she was grateful. Now he looked away from her, shaking his head no.

"There's nothing to share."

"I'm not imagining it." Allura managed to snap at him. It help to calm her, to keep her focus if she thought about the things Lotor might be hiding from her. "And you can't expect me to share anything with you, if you won't do the same!"

"It's not open for debate." Lotor told her firmly. "There are some things you shouldn't have to know. This is one of them."

"You frustrate me as much as you scare me!" She exclaimed before Allura could stop herself. His eyes met hers again.

"I am sorry for that. The last thing I want is to scare you." He actually seemed sincere when he said that too, Allura frowning.

"I really don't understand you."

He shrugged, and was suddenly leaning back with her in his arms. He pressed himself into the many pillows of the bed, as though he would go to sleep with Allura on top of him. Her own body was coiled with tension, Allura unable to relax in this position. Even once his arms shifted so he could get a hand in her hair, Allura continued to stay stiff against him.

She really couldn't wait for the wiring in the house to be fixed. Especially if it meant she wouldn't have to spend anymore time in Lotor's arms! But more than that, Allura hoped to be on her way to escaping before the wiring was repaired. She didn't dare hope she'd escape as early as tomorrow, but Allura did think by the end of the week she just might be able to get away. It just depended on what would happen come tomorrow.

Lotor was still petting her hair, but the motion was becoming lazy. He was starting to fall asleep, eyes closing as he settled more easily against the pillows. Allura tried to shift off him, and his arm gripped her more securely against him. It made her sigh, even as Allura noticed she didn't feel anywhere as cold as she had on the love seat. Like it or not, there was something to be said about the sharing of body heat.

And still she grumbled, though she was nowhere as upset now that Lotor looked to be drifting off to sleep. "Tomorrow can't come soon enough for my liking."

"Sometimes tomorrow is all we have to look forward to." Lotor muttered, his eyes closed. "The hopes that whatever happens, tomorrow will bring better things."

Allura found herself nodding, wondering what things Lotor had hoped his tomorrows would bring. She knew he wouldn't be hoping for the same things she wanted. Not when Allura wanted to escape him, and get back to her home world. Right now, that was what she most wanted, Allura trying to relax herself enough to settle down and sleep. She knew the quicker she slept, the quicker tomorrow would come. And then she'd be able to enact her plan, and leave the insanity of Lotor and his friends well behind her.

Kinda long chapter. Couldn't find a way to end it to my satisfaction. X_X

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Lotor Sincline, thank you! I'm glad you like Ryder! Hopefully he'll continue to interest you, esepcially once his love interest shows up! XD Vorlac's wife, heck his whole family's fate is revealed in...maybe chapter 20. I can't remember for sure. It's when Allura learns the extent of Zarkon's evil. Thanks again!

Wade Wells, yay! You found time to read. :D I know what you mean..it's hard juggling two fandoms that I write stories for. X_X Busy, busy, busy! And then certain chapters start kicking my ass (36) and making me hate on writing. T_T Thank you. Ha ha ha...I shouldn't say why she wants confession...it's too big a spoiler. XD But suffice it to say she's not a very sinful character. XD Keith shows up in the Mara chapters, which 19 will be one. It was hard to write for them while they were stuck on the embassy planet. I did get some chapters in for them, but I kept thinking it would be easier, more things to do once Mara and the Voltron Force (and nanny..X_X) get back to Arus. I tend to dread writing the Mara chapters, but then sometimes they prove easy to write. Which shocks me!

Thanks again. Glad if I could get your own feelings stirred in reaction to the stuff going on in that chapter. Allura's getting close to having an ephinany. Not so much about Lotor, but about the Drules. About life on Doom that sort of thing.


	19. Chapter 19

There was a soft hum of sound, the reinforced covering over the windows' front raising up slowly. And with it's rise, sunlight began to flood into the room, Mara quickly blinking her eyes to adjust to the change. The covering finished it's rise, allowing her a view of the nearby buildings. It wasn't a particularly spectacular view, too many tall buildings in place. They were cluttered together, all concrete and metal, with little green to be seen for miles all around.

Mara did not care that the view was not so pretty. It certainly was better than anything she had ever seen on Doom, the planet a dismal world of browns and grays and pitch black night skies. This place could almost be a city on Doom, if not for the bright sun shining down on the buildings. That shattered any illusion she could have had, that she was among her own people, Mara reaching up to finger the opal that hung from a heavy chain around her neck. It was cool to the touch, a smooth, unsuspected accessory. There was nothing to even hint at the power in the stone. A power that even now, changed Mara's appearance.

It had taken several days, but Mara was growing used to seeing a stranger in her mirror's reflection. She saw the princess of Arus' golden colored hair in place of her own inky black, had a peaches and cream complexion instead of the pale lavender she was used to. And she could get back her own appearance in an instant, all by taking off the necklace.

But Mara was no fool. Nowhere was private enough, not even in her own hotel room. Unlike the real princess of Arus, Mara knew that Zarkon always had spies with their eyes and equipment trained on Allura. Zarkon watched Allura ALMOST as much as Lotor had, and for a very different reason, the King wanting to destroy the princess. Many of the spies were trained in the art of killing, and should there come a time when the princess of Arus ever ventured out alone, well...she would have been made to regret it.

Mara did not shiver, though even she felt ill at the thought of the things that would be done to an unsuspecting Allura. Especially with Prince Lotor no longer around to run interference. With Lotor officially dead, Zarkon would take it as an excuse to do his worse. It wouldn't be long before the assassination attempts started in earnest. Mara knew she had to be on top of her game. She was quick, she was smart, and she knew how to fight. In that regard, she considered herself more capable than Allura, Mara knowing that she was a survivor first and foremost.

Mara had even dabbled in her own killings, being a part time assassin when times called for it. She even had some military training, though she didn't like to think of that time. The time spent in the Drule Military Academy, was nothing compared to the horrors being part of Zarkon's own army. Now Mara really did shudder, refusing to let herself think of some of what she had endured. She instead tried to think of Lotor, and how he had helped her. A help she might never be able to repay, not even if she lost her life pretending to be the princess of Arus.

She abruptly stopped touching the opal on her necklace, Mara frowning. She didn't WANT to die. She wanted Zarkon to pay, to end his tyranny over the people of Doom and even the galaxy at large. She wanted to live to see Lotor remake the Drule society into something they could all be proud of. The suffering of the people, both Drule and slaves had to end before any true healing could start. She knew that, but waiting for that moment was making her anxious.

Even more anxious than she was waiting for word from Keith. The young captain had been summoned by General Grants of Galaxy Garrison. Supposedly to discuss the details of releasing the dead Drule over to Doom. Mara wouldn't be able to relax, not completely. Not until she knew Haggar had hold of the fake Lotor's body. Once that body was disposed of, it would be one less thing to worry about.

General Grants didn't want to hand over the dead to Doom. He especially didn't want to hand over what he thought was Lotor's body. It was as though he was claiming the prince as some sick war trophy, even at the risk of incurring King Zarkon's wrath. He actually wanted to taunt the Drule, and though he hadn't gone so far as to defile any of the bodies, he had refused to allow proper burial rites to be performed.

It was pure sacrilege what was being done, what was being denied. The bodies hadn't even been embalmed, left to rot inside a nearby morgue. They hadn't even allowed a Drule holy man to come say prayers over the bodies! Mara knew many of Doom would be praying for the dead soldiers. They had had friends, family, people who cared for them, people who depended on them. People who might suffer now that these men were dead and could no longer earn wages fighting Zarkon's wars.

Mara had spent hours arguing in favor of giving over the dead Drule to the people who should take care of them. She hadn't been able to argue as passionately as she would have liked, Mara having to pretend to be Allura. As the princess of Arus, she had tried approaching it from a political viewpoint. The truth had been stated, Mara knowing even if Zarkon did not give a damn about the dead Drules, he wouldn't have allowed the insult of their bodies being kept to go unchallenged. Even now, the air space around planet Kirentya was crowded with an armada of Drule ships. No one was getting on or off the planet, not with the barricade Doom had set up.

Garrison had brought in ships to try and engage the Drules. But they weren't having much success. Voltron might have been able to force an opening long enough for the remaining visitors to escape, but what would happen to Kirentya after they all left? The matter had to be resolved. As peacefully as Zarkon would allow. As Allura, Mara had brokered a deal, gaining a promise from Haggar that the Doom armada would leave once they got a hold of their dead. She didn't expect Zarkon to honor such a thing. The tyrant might go away for a few days, but he would eventually come back. Especially if Arus fell to Doom's conquering hand.

Garrison was spreading itself thin, maintaining a presence here on Kirentya and over on Arus. Zarkon was no fool to miss the opportunity to try and conquer Arus while Voltron was away. Arus, ever on the verge of invasion, was floundering closer to defeat. The Voltron Force had to return to Arus and soon. They'd get that chance, provided General Grants didn't find a way to stop the exchanging of bodies.

Her lip actually curled, Mara scowling as she thought of that infuriating man. He was a nasty piece of work, not quite as bad as Zarkon but just as bigoted when it came to the other races. Mara was positive Grants would have found someone else to war with if not for the threat of the Doom Empire. And all because men like him were always hating, always spoiling for a fight.

General Grants had been the most vocally opposed to making any kind of deal with Doom. There had been others, but eventually they had been persuaded by Mara's arguments. But not Grants. Mara wished someone would remove him from power, but such was his position that it wasn't an easy feat to pull off. She supposed even if they assigned him elsewhere, he'd still be vocal about his anti Drule sentiments.

He wasn't the only one that was so anti Drule. Gertrude, Allura's nanny? The woman never missed a chance to make some hateful or derogatory comment about the Drules. Mara would almost think this Nanny was fearful that if she didn't keep at it, people would forget what Doom had done, might even forgive the Drule. Mara had spent only a few days as Princess Allura, but she had had to spend extensive time with Nanny. Listening to her carry on, the woman acting as if the only good Drule was a dead one. With Prince Lotor dead, Nanny focused all her attentions on bad mouthing King Zarkon. On trying to scare her charge into believing the worse would happen. It would happen if and only if Zarkon got a hold of Allura, the fiend capable of anything. But Mara worried that Nanny had used the same scare tactic where Prince Lotor was concerned. If she had, it would be a miracle if Allura wasn't terrified of Lotor.

Even now, Nanny was in the room with Mara. She had been since early morning, the woman bustling into the room before Mara had even fully awoke. Nanny seemed to have boundless energy, often times getting up before Mara did. Mara was an early riser, but even Nanny had her beat, leaving the Drule female to think the woman never slept.

Mara was sleeping more than she was used to, or at least pretending too. As a Drule she didn't have as much need for sleep as a human would, and yet Nanny insisted on a strict time table for Allura's schedule. She hustled the princess to bed early, and made frequent checks to ensure her charge was not up late reading or something. It was getting on Mara's nerves, the woman already sick to death of having to stay in bed when she was not tired.

Mara moved away from the window, spying Nanny sitting on the room's white leather couch. She had knitting needles in hand, though Mara could not yet figure out what it was Nanny was trying to make. Mara thought it might be something to pass the time, as though Nanny couldn't sit still without keeping busy. If they had been on Arus, Nanny would have surely been running the maids ragged with tasks.

Beginning to pace, Mara wondered when they would make it back to planet Arus. She was hoping for a little more freedom once in Allura's home, knowing Nanny wouldn't be able to stick so close to her. Gertrude might be nanny to Allura, but she was also head of the household staff. And with that position came many responsibilities, Nanny having to oversee the work the maids had to do.

"You're going to pace a path into the carpeting." Nanny said without looking up.

"I'm just worried." Mara began, but Nanny interrupted her.

"You shouldn't waste your time on those Drules, or their dead!" She actually scowled as she knitted, Nanny shaking her head no. "We should be concentrating on a way to return to Arus."

Mara wanted to scowl in return, but she maintained a neutral look. "Nanny..." She said in as patient a tone as she could manage. "They have a right to their dead..."

"They lost any rights when they set foot in that embassy! When they tried to kill everyone!" Nanny exclaimed.

"They paid the ultimate price. They died." She pointed out.

"So did some of our people. Good men and women!"

Mara had to fight to point out Nanny didn't know anything about the character of the dead Drule. How some of them could have been good people, only doing the work cause they had no other choice, no other way to earn money. "More people will die if we don't resolve this issue peacefully." Mara said out loud.

"As if the Drule even know the meaning of that word!" Nanny scoffed.

"Let's say we don't give them their dead." Mara began in a reasonable tone. "Let's say we use Voltron to force an opening through the armada's barricade, allowing all the visiting world leaders a way off of Kirentya. What then? What of this planet and it's people?"

"Eh?"

Mara sighed. "Nanny, think! They will turn their wrath about Kirentya. And if they don't kill ever last man, woman and child, they will surely enslave them. More people will die or be hurt, GOOD ones." She shook her head. "That is unacceptable to me. I won't be satisfied to go back to Arus until I know Kirentya is safe."

"This planet, this galaxy will never be safe so long as Zarkon draws breath!"

That was something they both could agree on. "Someday that tyrant will fall. It won't happen through denying his people their dead though." Nanny looked as though she had more to say, but then a loud knocking was heard on the door. Together, both women looked that way, Mara feeling a surge of excitement go through her. That surely had to be Keith! Once again she was taken back by her strong response to the thought of seeing the handsome captain. The thought that he might be here to deliver bad news, was enough to sober her mood some.

The knock sounded again as Mara walked to the door. Nanny was watching her, a disapproving look on her face. She didn't like the thought of Keith coming to the princess' bedroom, thought it highly improper even with a suitable chaperone present. Mara tried to tell herself it didn't bother her, that she was not intending to seduce the captain any time soon. She nearly gasped, and amended her thoughts to never seducing him even as her heart panged in protest.

She opened the door, and felt as though she melted to see the handsome captain's smile. She was so distracted by the sight of him, Mara didn't at first realize the significance of that grin.

"It's still on." He said, Mara stepping back to allow Keith to enter the room. He nodded at Nanny, then turned to keep his focus on Mara. She liked him looking at her, even if Keith was seeing Allura instead of Mara's true appearance. "General Grants wasn't able to convince the Alliance to stop the exchange."

"That's wonderful, Keith!" Mara exclaimed, clasping her hands together in an excited manner Allura had often done. She heard Nanny let out a disgruntled snort, the woman resuming her knitting. "How soon before the exchange?"

"It'll take a wee bit of time to arrange. They have to get in touch with the old witch, and decide on how many soldiers they'll allow to accompany her. Grants doesn't want too many live Drules setting foot on Kirentya." He frowned then. "For that matter, he's just itching for Haggar to try something."

"He wouldn't be fool enough to try and take Haggar into custody?" Mara gave a genuine gasp, aghast at the thought.

"General Grants is..." Keith hesitated, appearing as though he didn't want to actually insult a member of Garrison. Especially one with as much power as the General had.

"I'm sure the good General just wants to make sure Haggar doesn't kill any more innocent people." Grumbled Nanny from over on the couch.

Her comment was ignored. Mara staying focused on Keith. He reached up to brush back his hair, a telling gesture that betrayed he was nervous or flustered about something. "What is it Keith?"

"Grants wants us there for the exchange."

Nanny gasped. "NO! The princess will not be going anywhere near those Drules!"

"It would be in a soldier's capacity." Keith continued after Mara had shushed Nanny. "He'd have us piloting Voltron if Haggar would allow it."

"Which she won't." Mara pointed out.

"Yeah." Agreed Keith. "Still, he wants us there. Since the exchange will happen at the space port, he's arranging to have it within running distance of the lions. If Haggar tries anything, we're to bolt immediately for the lions and take her out."

Mara knew Haggar wouldn't try anything, but it still chilled her, the thought of trying to hurt the old witch. Hagger was powerful, but more than that, she was an important ally. To Mara and to Lotor. She had things to do, the least of which being disposing of the fake Lotor's body. Mara knew Haggar had to start building a suitable army for Lotor, make the alliances that would gain him money, men, and the weapons and armor to outfit those soldiers with. It was a lot to do, and in a limited amount of time.

"Princess?" Keith was looking at her with a concerned look. Mara realized she had zoned out enough to miss something he had said.

"I'm fine." She quickly said. "Just thinking."

"About tomorrow's exchange, right? Yeah, I don't blame you for worrying. Anything could happen."

"All the more reason why Princess Allura should not be present!" Nanny snapped.

"I'm going Nanny." Mara said firmly. "If something DID happen, there's no one else to pilot blue lion." She felt a little apprehensive at those words. Mara had some piloting skill, but there existed no one in the Denubian Galaxy that could have taught her how to fight in and fly one of the legendary lions of Arus. Mara sincerely hoped she wouldn't have to learn in the midst of a battle, for that would be headache inducing at best!

"But princess..."

"Nanny no! I've made up my mind!" Mara said, this bit of forcefulness acceptable for Allura was known to be adamantly vocal about her choice to pilot blue lion. "Nothing you say or do can stop me from being part of this exchange."

Nanny let out a huffing sound, her knitting motions become more violent. "You're going to get yourself killed or worse one of these days." She complained. "A princess shouldn't place herself in danger. She should rule from afar, and let others handle the violent work."

Mara knew from both experience, and from her studies of Allura, that Nanny would prefer the princess to get married and focus on making babies while her husband ruled in her stead. "You know I am a very hands on kind of person. I won't hide away while others are in danger, nor will I close myself off to my duty and my people." She then turned her back on Nanny, looking at Keith. The captain was making a serious effort not to be part of the conversation, as though he feared Nanny would come over and jab him with one of those needles should he voice support with Mara.

"Are the Drule still agreeing to break up the barricade?" Mara asked. He nodded, and she smiled. "So everyone will be allowed to leave? That they'll be able to return to their worlds?"

"As soon as we hand over the dead, the Drule will leave." Keith confirmed. "It's a pity we have to leave here before we could decide anything about the worlds that had wanted to join the Alliance."

"Yes." Mara forced out a sigh. "We can thank General Grants' greed for that."

"As long as those worlds are too poor to pay the Alliance's membership fees, I don't see any help coming their way." Keith told her.

Mara hesitated, knowing what Allura would suggest. "We should help them ourselves."

"Oh no!" Nanny threw down her needles, the leather couch creaking as she got up off it. "Arus doesn't have the time for Voltron to keep going to all these worlds. We have to focus on keeping our own planet safe, before we can help anyone else!"

"She might be right about that." Keith sounded apologetic. "Garrison won't agree to guard Arus forever. Especially as Grants keeps reminding us, we owe several months worth of membership fees."

"He'd overlook it if we gave him Voltron." Mara grumbled, remembering how Grants had pestered her on several occasions to hand over the robot to Garrison's scientists. "But Keith? So long as I draw breath, Grants we'll never get his hands on Arus' defender."

"Right. The Voltron Force won't give up the lions. Not to Grants, not to anyone!" Keith grinned at her, and Mara found herself smiling back. He really had a nice smile, especially when it reached his eyes. She then promptly told herself to stop noticing his good features, Mara knowing his smile might be her undoing if she let it. Especially if every time he smiled at her, she wanted to reach out and grab him. To hug him to her, to run her hands over his body, and kiss those sensual looking lips. A Drule couldn't blush, but Mara felt embarrassed all the same by the thoughts she had just had. She was too aware of Keith, too affected by him and the attraction she felt. It was enough to make her worry, Mara trying to convince herself that it was only lust she felt and nothing more.

Wow, I was dreading writing this chapter. Not exactly thrilled to work on the Voltron Force sections of the fic. But they're important too, so I have to devote some time and chapters to it. As much as I dreaded this chapter, once I started writing it, it proved easier! Yay me! :D

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Wade Wells, yes...it's a..what's the word...struggle in patience, the torment of not knowing what exactly is going on. But it'll get easier for her...kinda...she learns a bit, and goes snooping to find out more. XD Don't beat my Drules! They've all been through enough! *hugs them protectively* I'm so glad to hear you like Ryder that much! Hope that will continue, I have a lot of fun with him. She hasn't appeared yet, but when she does, his love interest and him have become my favorite couple to write for in this fic! They're too damn fun to write! XD

Lotor Sincline, yep! She doesn't outright say to Lotor and the others what it is, but to the readers, I start hinting heavily at what happened with her thoughts. The Drules suspect strongly what could have happened, due to her reactions and panic attacks too. I tell you, almost everyone in this fic has some kind of trauma in their past. Even the four guys of the Voltron Force suffered because of Doom! :o


	20. Chapter 20

The urge to yawn was upon her, Allura fighting and failing that expression of her tiredness. She quickly brought her hand to cover her mouth, but even then everyone knew what she had done. Her cheeks almost burned in embarrassment, Allura positive everyone was assuming the worst about her reasons for being so tired. She quickly looked down, not wanting to see looks she was sure would be knowing, even approving of what they assumed had happened.

It might have helped if she could understand the language. Then she could have been sure over whether or not the Drules were talking about her. Allura knew what they would suspect, what they would think had happened. She couldn't blame them for that, since Allura herself had expected the same. She was immensely relived that it hadn't gone down the way she had feared, but Allura was also shocked. To the point she could barely believe Prince Lotor HADN'T raped her.

She tried to avoid looking to the right of her. Prince Lotor was a towering presence besides her, the man leisurely enjoying the breakfast laid out on the table. It was all uncooked foods, cold cereal and fruits. Allura nervously nibbled on a pear, hungry but not really tasting it. She ate simply to fill herself, to take the energy she needed to keep going.

There was others present at the table. Most if not all the Drules that had stayed in the mansion sitting around her, laughing and talking as they ate. Not all of the conversation was in Drule, as though they were trying to encourage Allura to talk with them. But she couldn't even think on what to say, too embarrassed over the thoughts she assumed they were having. And why wouldn't they assume she had slept with Lotor? They had seen them leave the barbecue together, Lotor keeping a secure grip on Allura's hand. They knew they had shared a bedroom, and one of them had even laid out the slinky nightclothes Allura had had to wear. After Lotor had gone to great lengths to catch her, and bring her here, there was no way these people would believe he hadn't touched her in a sexual manner. Especially when Allura could hardly believe it either!

It had been the strangest of nights, terrifying for a minute, and puzzling for the rest. She could look back on that night now, free of the overwhelming panic that had so consumed her. It just left Allura confused, the princess not understanding why Lotor had behaved himself. She wondered what he was waiting for, why he hadn't turned into the rapacious monster every one claimed he could be. He wasn't acting anything like the stories she had been told, practically a gentleman instead of some lustful fiend. In fact he was behaving better than the last Drule male she had gotten that close to, had.

Allura shivered then. But she wasn't cold. With the rising of the sun, it had grown warm. To the point Allura had woken up to discover that either she or Lotor had kicked themselves free of the blankets. She had still been held in Lotor's arms, half off, half on his lap as he lay upright against the pillows. He had been awake before her, Allura realizing Lotor had occupied and contented himself with staring at her. With petting her hair over and over again.

No, the real reason Allura shivered had to do with the memory of a wholly different encounter. A day on a war torn Arus, one that could be describe as chaotic as best. She didn't like to think about that day, about what had almost happened. Most times she succeeded in blocking the memory out. But ever since she had been kidnapped and forced into close proximity to Lotor? The memories had stirred, seeming to grow stronger with every stolen touch and embrace Lotor forced on her. His attempts at forcing a closeness between them, it only served to frighten her, and with the memories rising in strength, no wonder she often panicked.

It didn't matter that Lotor wasn't the same Drule. She felt he had the same intent as the soldier of her memories. Lotor just went about it a different way, trying to lower her defense with a more gentle approach. It wouldn't work, and when he realized that, Lotor would try other tactics. She was sure of it. He was the type used to getting what he wanted, and what Lotor wanted was Allura. Her body at any rate.

Again that urge to yawn, Allura quickly bringing up her hand. She hadn't been able to get as much sleep as she would have liked the night before. Even once Lotor had made it clear he would not molest her, she hadn't been able to relax. How long had Allura stayed stiff in his arms, her frantic thoughts tormenting her as she listened to the sound of Lotor's breathing. She did not know, but eventually Allura had fallen asleep. But not for long enough, not enough to feel rested.

It was going to be a long day. Especially with no coffee available, the only drinks at hand being bottled juice and some warm wine. She stayed away from the wine, sipping her juice in between bites of her cereal. She'd feel Lotor's eyes on her, a frequent enough occurrence that she chose to ignore. Every once in a while, he'd touch her, trailing fingers slowly up and down her arm, or placing a hand on her knee beneath the table. At one point, he had covered her hand with his, lacing their fingers together. Allura didn't understand why he kept doing things like that. She just knew the first time his hand had found her knee, it had made her jump up startled in her seat. It had amused the Drules present, many smiling every time they noticed Lotor touching Allura in some way.

Lotor would even reach over to sweep back her hair, fingers lingering on the gold colored locks. Allura never tried to touch him back, but neither did she attempt to shrug off his touches. Instead she tried to ignore him, to pretend he wasn't so thoroughly invading her personal space.

Vorlac was one of the Drules who wasn't present at the table. She noticed his absence, since he was not only one of the Drules she knew by name, but a man she had spent extensive time with when Lotor was sick. She didn't think anything of Vorlac's absence, assuming he must be staying in one of the small cottages on the property. But then Tesla was speaking, Vorlac's name being brought up in a conversation with Lotor.

The conversation was in basic, Tesla making no attempts to hide what was going on from Allura. "He should be back within the hour." Tesla was saying as Lotor listened and nodded.

"Back?" Allura spoke up, the first real attempt she had made to be part of a conversation. "He went somewhere?"

"Not far." Lotor told her. "He just had to pick up some supplies from the town."

"The wiring is an unfortunate set back." Tesla added with an exaggerated frown. "Not only are we out of power, but we are without the ability to store food for long periods of time. Among the things Vorlac has gone to purchase, are the foods needed for today's lunch and dinner."

"Will the Simestians have enough to spare for a group as large as this one?" Allura wondered out loud. "I mean..." A hesitation, Allura shrugging. "Drule males are known for their voracious appetites."

"If there's not enough to buy, there's always hunting." It was Ryder who spoke up. He grinned to show he liked the idea. "We'd have to get some permissions to hunt on the city's land, but we have more than enough gold to sway the mayor into granting us those rights."

"We won't be a burden on the Simestians." Lotor tried to reassure her. "Especially since we won't be here that long."

Allura frowned, understanding that Simestia was only a stop on the journey Lotor was trying to take her on. A journey that was being delayed by the fact that the mansion's wiring had been so damaged. She was surprised no one had seen to purchasing some back up generators from the Simestians, but Allura wasn't about to suggest something that would speed up the Drules' schedule. Especially since they would need the power in order to work their computers to begin making the forgeries and paper trails for everyone's new identities.

Allura would do just about anything to keep them from leaving Simesita. But only because she knew the next destination would be the next over galaxy, and then her difficulties in escaping would increase. It was already almost too hard here on this isolated world, she didn't want to imagine what it would be like in a different galaxy!

"It won't be like last time." Added Tesla. "This time the Drules won't drain the people of their resources. We will give as much as we take."

"I see." It was all she could say in the moment, Allura so unused to the Drules being anything but spoilers of planets.

"Vorlac's also picking up that person from the temple." Announced Lotor. "For your...confession."

Allura tried not to act eager. "So that will be soon?" Inwardly she was pleased, and hoped it didn't show. Especially with Ryder staring so hard at her. That man suspected something was up, she was sure of it. She'd have to tread even more carefully, lest her plan end up thwarted before she even got a chance to talk with this temple representative.

"Just as soon as Vorlac gets back from town." Lotor confirmed.

"Did he go by himself?" Allura didn't know what the Simestians were like, but after what Zarkon had done to the people of this world, it seemed dangerous for a Drule to walk among them alone.

"No, he took some of the men with him." Ryder answered.

She processed this. "Are...the Simestians violent?"

"Er...I couldn't say for sure." Admitted Rider. "But we'd be pretty damn bold or foolish to go alone among the people who still remember what our Empire did to them."

"Some wounds never heal." Tesla said, and Allura saw how the woman's eyes flickered in Lotor's direction. But she didn't get a chance to ask what that was about, Ryder speaking once more.

"Most wounds heal." He seemed to be correcting Tesla. "It just takes time."

"Have the Simestians had enough time then?" Allura wanted to know. The Drules all exchanged uncertain glances.

"It's only been about fifty years, Allura." Lotor finally said. "Not even enough time for the survivors of Zarkon's invasion to have died out. I doubt they'd be ready to forgive, anymore than they could forget what happened. Especially with so many potent reminders of the Drule among them."

"This mansion being one of them?" Allura asked.

He nodded. "There are others of course. The Drule have made their mark on the Simestians, rewriting many of their beliefs, their religion, even their language. Zarkon may have forgotten this world, but not before he thoroughly affected the people."

"He seems to have that effect on every planet he turns his covetous gaze on." Allura muttered dryly. But she was thinking, feeling hopeful. If the Simestians held a grudge over what the Drules had done, maybe they WOULD help her. Provided they didn't let their fear stop them. The fear that Zarkon would turn his attention once more to this world and it's people, and punish them for any rebellion or trouble they had attempted.

Allura then realized the Drules here would not be able to go to Zarkon. Not when they had abandoned their world, and faked their prince's death. Allura could use the fact that they were operating outside Zarkon's permission, to her advantage. She was sure of it!

"Well...I'm done." Ryder was standing now, his plate empty.

"Leaving so soon?" Lotor asked, but his fingers were once against stroking along Allura's arm. It was clear that at the moment, Lotor didn't care if Ryder, if the rest of the people present all took their leave of them. Allura didn't want to be alone with Lotor. Especially not so soon after spending a whole night locked in a room, held in his arms.

"Thought I'd get some work done." Ryder explained.

"Work, what work?" Allura asked, curious. She didn't think there was much to do, not with the wiring so damaged, canceling out all electronics and appliances. Nor did she see Ryder as the type to clean, especially the kind of heavy cleaning that the mansion still needed for most of it's rooms.

"Oh, there's just a few odds and ends to take care of." Ryder said, in that frustratingly evasive manner of his. "Just because we have no power, doesn't mean it's a time I can relax."

"Ryder's the project head overseeing the creation of our new identities." Lotor told her. "There's no one I trust more with this task then him."

Allura paused, looking at how Ryder beamed over Lotor's praising words. "I thought you were a communications expert, not a forger."

"Communications is just one of my many skills." Ryder grinned, and Tesla seemed to roll her eyes in annoyance. "It'll be a snap to create new identities for everyone here. Easy but time consuming."

"Easy eh?" Allura asked, tone skeptical. "And will you be creating these life documents from scratch, or stealing identities from existing people?"

"There are a lot of dead people out there princess." Ryder answered. "People who no longer need those identities."

"It's still a crime what you're going to do." She pointed out.

Ryder gave an uncaring shrug. "Not that big a crime, since it hurts no one."

"Typical Drule justification." Allura said in a disgusted tone. Her words got the conversation to stop, everyone looking at her. Tesla's eyes seemed to cross, the woman looking so angry in the moment. It wasn't enough to stop Allura from talking, the girl almost glaring at Ryder. "You're all a bunch of criminals. You've aided and abetted my kidnapping. Who knows what else you have done!"

"Do you want to school her, or should I?" demanded Tesla in a growling manner.

"Eh, I'll let you do the honors." Ryder replied. "I still have about an hour's life on the battery of my portable. And the heavens know I'd much rather spent my time working on forgeries, then waste my breath arguing with someone stuck with so racist a mind set."

"Racist?" Allura gasped. "I...I am not..."

"Aren't you?" Ryder demanded, then nodded at Lotor. The prince had already stopped touching Allura, sitting stiff besides her. He radiated just as much stern disapproval as the rest of the gathered Drules, but Allura also sensed a disappointment in him. She glanced nervously at him, as Ryder began to leave the dining room.

"I am not racist." Allura said, in a soft, uncertain voice. "I have just been a victim of Drule abuse for too long."

"Victim?" hissed Tesla, the look on her face ugly. "Don't speak to me as though you have any real understanding of abuse and of being victimized!"

"My planet has been in war with yours for something like twenty years! Longer than I have been alive! I spent sixteen years of my life running, hiding, even cowering from the sun lit sky. It's only been these last two and a half years, that Arus has known any semblance of peace! And even then we still suffer, you Drules continuing to attack us countless times!"

"Most of us don't even give a damn about your planet!" Tesla snapped. "We'd be happier if we never had heard of Arus. Do you know how many Drules have died in this war? How many families have been ruined, torn apart, of destroyed? Whole lives in upheaval, poverty, and untold amounts of suffering happening? Do you?"

Allura flinched at the sound of Tesla's voice, at the anger contained within those words. The green skinned female glared at Allura, continuing her tirade, voice raising in volume with every breath. "You don't!" sneered Tesla. "You stay in your protected bubble, seeing, believing only what you want. The worst of my people."

"The Drule have given me no reason to believe there's any good about your kind."

"No people are entirely evil!" Another Drule spoke up. He was trying not to glare, lips forming a frown. "Just as there is no entirely good race of people. Princess...have you ever taken the time to study those you view as your enemies? To learn about them beyond what you've experienced on Arus?"

"Obviously she has not." Tesla snapped, hands on her hips. "She wouldn't make such harsh judgments against us."

"It's not just Allura." Lotor spoke up, but he sounded tired. "There's few in the Denubian Galaxy who has bothered to see what the Drule are really about. Too many who would rather believe all the negative press about the Empire."

"But it's the truth." Allura argued. "Your people do invade worlds. You do enslave people, even kill them. Drules do such horrible things, every day if not every hour!"

"Not ALL the Drules!" Lotor pounded a fist on the table, the action so sudden and violent, Allura jumped in her seat.

"Fine..." she said uneasily. "So some don't do those things...but they damn well don't try to stop the others..."

"How can we?" demanded Tesla. "How do you expect us to help others, when we can barely help ourselves? We are just as much at the mercy of Zarkon as the rest of the galaxy. Only there is no Voltron to come save us!"

Allura went wide eyed at that for it was the last thing she had ever expected to hear one of them say. "What?"

"Who will rescue the Drule?" Tesla demanded. "Who will save us from Zarkon's tyranny? From his cruelty?" Besides Allura, Lotor shifted, seeming uncomfortable at what Tesla was asking. "You?" Tesla sneered at Allura. "The Galaxy Alliance? We have no one! No one to rely on!"

"Is that why you run?" Allura asked when she was able to speak. "Because you feel it's hopeless?"

"As the situation stands now, it IS hopeless." Scowled Tesla. "We have a madman on the throne, our people are suffering. Not only starving, but tortured for his amusement."

"If you overthrow him..."

"Zarkon has the backing of most if not all the nobles." Explained Lotor. "As long as he continues to bring in new worlds, riches and slaves, they don't care much about what he does."

"The noble rich grow fat while the rest of Doom suffers." It was the nurse, Qualenn who spoke now. Her voice was soft, but no less upset than any one else at the table. "It's not just the slaves that suffer. Our own people are hungry, sick and weak. They are unable to afford medicines, many dressed in rags, scrambling in the streets for enough money to buy something to ease their hunger for a moment."

"The slaves fare better than most Drules." It was the frowning man who spoke up, who practically spat on the floor in disgust.

Allura stared at him, and shook her head. "You don't honestly expect me to believe that, do you? No one can be worse off then slaves!"

"How wrong you are!" He exclaimed. "The nobles see their slaves as investments. They feed them, clothe them, even give them medical care, provided it's nothing too costly and serious." He turned even more bitter. "With slaves, you don't have to pay them an honest wage. Hell, you don't even have to pay them at all. Just give them enough of necessities to keep them clinging to life, and you can work them till they drop."

"Because Zarkon made Doom a world that relies so heavily on the free labor the slaves provide, many of our people cannot find work." Explained Qualenn. Allura remembered hearing about this bit, about how many of the Drules had no choice but to become soldiers. "It's either starve homeless in the streets, or join the Kings army, in the hope you will live long enough to earn money for your family."

"Many die." Added Lotor. "Especially since many can't afford to attend the Drule Military Academy for more than a few weeks training. Sometimes it doesn't matter if you have all the training in the universe. Sometimes it's just luck over whether you live or die."

"The chance of living has gotten worse with the reintroduction of Voltron." added Tesla. She was still angry, but she was no longer shouting. "Your team has single-handedly been responsible for the most lives lost. Not just with the soldiers manning the fleets, but with civilian casualties as your robot trampled on cities."

Allura flinched again, knowing she and the others had not often if ever given thought to the homes they inadvertently destroyed in Drule settlements when fighting the invader's robeasts.

"It's horrible." She finally said. "But Arus never set out to hurt anyone. We only wanted to protect our worlds, spread peace through the galaxy." Her own eyes surely darkened. "Under Zarkon's orders, the Drules come and do evil to the worlds they try to invade." Tesla made an exasperated sound. "I can't say I yet understand the difference between Zarkon's evil, and the Drule's. I mean...I have...heard things." She shook her head then. "Not just heard, I've witness things first hand. Not all the soldiers are reluctant when doing your king's bidding. They enjoyed too much what they did."

"Money can be a key motivater." Qualenn said sadly. "Those greedy fools would do anything for it, might even take pleasure in inflicting cruelties. We haven't denied that there are some bad people among the Drule. Just as there are good ones, who are forced to become soldiers and do Zarkon's bidding out of desperation and fear."

"Fear." Repeated Allura. She knew that some sovereigns ruled not with the love of the people, but through their fear. It was hard for Allura to understand why those people would allow themselves to be so cowed into submitting to a cruel tyrant. Why they wouldn't rise up to overthrow him. Even with Zarkon's power, if those soldiers took the weapons he gave them, they could turn on him and kill him with the very tools he had given to them.

"You don't know half the things Zarkon is capable of." Tesla said, sighing. "The cruel games, the endless torments, the sheer viciousness reality of him."

Allura drew in a deep breath, wondering if she had the courage to ask. But how could she turn a blind eye to what they were hinting at? How could she not take the chance to find out if Zarkon was really as bad as they claimed he was. She didn't think she would like what she would hear, but Allura knew this was something she had to know. Even as she hoped it was just an exaggeration on their part, Allura spoke out an urgent plea. "Tell me."

A stir of unease from the gathered Drules. They looked surprised at her request, as though they hadn't expected her to want to know. "Are you sure?" asked Qualenn. "It won't be an easy telling...for you, or for us..."

"I have to know." Allura insisted. Tesla nodded her agreement to that. "Please..."

Again that uncomfortable shifting of Lotor, the prince glancing at her with a frown. Allura wondered if he would try to stop the others from talking, but he merely bowed his head in an agreeing motion. A subtle relaxing of energy, the Drules seeming relieved to have permission from their prince. More wine would be brought out, some of the Drules seeming to want the drink in order to share the more horrific experiences.

They didn't all speak at once. Almost as though they were unsure of where to start. Someone coughed, several of the Drule shifting nervous in response to that sound. Finally it was the nurse, Qualenn who broke the silence.

"It's a mixed blessing to be in the medical field in the world of Doom." She sighed. "I have the ability to help so many people, and yet my talents are often wasted. I'm not allowed to help those who can't afford treatment. There are strict penalties involve, beatings for the first time, death for a repeat offense. Zarkon allows little money to flow into the cities. There's hardly any funding, not for hospitals, schools. Charity programs would not even exist if not for Lotor's benevolence."

Qualenn sighed again, the pretty nurse lifting up her glass of warm wine. "I've not only had to turn away the sick, I've had the misfortune of seeing those who...caught Zarkon's attention."

"Attention? What does that mean?" Allura asked.

"His victims." said one of the men. "It's not just women he's raped, it's people he's tortured. For fun, or to make an example out of."

"The ones he wants to make an example of, are some of the worse cases I've seen." Qualenn visibly shuddered. "There's been people with nearly every bone in their bodies broken, ribs cracked and protruding through the skin. Zarkon shows no mercy, certainly not to men. Not even women and children are safe from him. The doctor has had to work on patients who were cut open, their intestines barely kept from spilling out. He's had to push their insides back in, and sew them up. Keep them alive long enough for Zarkon to tire of them, and kill them."

Allura was starting to shiver, and doing her best not to imagine such a sight. "It sounds like it would have been better if your Doctor let them die."

"Oh he wanted to!" Qualenn exclaimed, more passionate than ever. "You can't imagine how tempted time and time again he was. But we remember what happened to Doctor Oveious." Allura wondered if she even wanted to know what this Oveious' fate had been.

"Doctor Oveious is famous, even among Zarkon's cruelties." Tesla stated with a grim look in her eyes. "We don't know if he failed to keep a torture victim alive on purpose, or if the damage was such that the woman died regardless of the doctor's efforts. Either way, Zarkon was not pleased." There was a long pause, Allura anxious, waiting for Tesla to finish. "He didn't remove the doctor's heart right away." The woman continued. "He kept him alive long enough to be presented with a feast."

"A feast?" Allura was surprised. "What...?"

"The doctor was given a chance you see..." Qualenn was closing her eyes, as though trying to block out some image. "If he would eat every last bite of the meal, he would be allowed to live. He'd be stripped of his license, his home, his life ruined. But he'd be alive."

Nervous, Allura whispered a question. "What was the meal?"

"Allura...I don't think you should hear this." Lotor said firmly.

"What was the meal?" She repeated, shrugging off the hand that touched her shoulder. She locked eyes with Tesla, instinctively knowing this woman would not hold back, might even relish Allura's horrified reactions.

"It was the woman he failed to save." Tesla revealed. "Cooked and seasoned, with her insides carved open."

Allura started to heave, thinking she might throw up the breakfast she had just eaten. Tesla looked on unsympathetically, even as Lotor put an arm around Allura, trying to comfort her.

"Zarkon has a twisted sense of humor." Added Tesla. "And you can damn well bet no one ever repeated Doctor's Oveious' mistake." Allura was shaking, for once letting Lotor hold her without protest. Tesla continued to stare at Allura, blinking those exotic eyes of hers. "Shall I tell you about the games he plays? The things he does to pass the time? The bodies hanging in the town squares, the crowds the soldiers are turned against? Shall I tell you about Vorlac, whose whole family was imprisoned by Zarkon in order to ensure the man would do his best as the King's dungeon master? Should I tell you how they died screaming, each death earned for a perceived failure of Vorlac's?"

Allura was shaking her head no, too upset to be able to speak. Lotor was growling, shouting at Tesla. "That's enough!"

"She hasn't even heard half of it. What about the very soldiers she hates? The things done to them? Lotor, you know being in the military is not proof against Zarkon's perversions! Not even being part of his family can save you if Zarkon takes it in his head to torture you!"

"Tesla!" Never had Allura heard Lotor so angry before. She risked a look at his face, and the rage there frightened her. He looked like he was considering dropping Allura to lunge at Tesla in an attempt to quiet and control her.

Tesla drew up short, her face twisted with anger as she glared at Allura. It almost seemed as though she was going to keep quiet, but then Tesla bit out one more thing. "Zarkon would flay the likes of you alive! And while you are broken and bleeding, he'd toss you to the most wicked of his soldiers! Despicable men, who wouldn't care about the mess of your injuries. Why'd they even get..."

She didn't get to hear the rest of what Tesla would have said, for Allura had begun screaming. It was a loud, hysterical sound, Allura turning in Lotor's arms. Burying her face against his chest in an attempt to muffle her voice. She could hear voices shouting all around her, but couldn't make out the words. Her eyes had already turned wet, Allura red faced and sobbing. Someone ran into the room, and even more shouting was heard, seconds before Lotor scooped Allura up out of her chair. She had the faintest glimpse of a confused looking Vorlac standing near Tesla, before Allura fainted dead away.

Shoot...this really got derailed from my notes. I got as far as Ryder getting up from the table. I had wanted to introduce a certain character in this chapter, and had wanted a simple conversation. But...that obviously got canned. Thanks to Tenjp for talking with me, and saying Allura should hear about Zarkon's evil. I uh...think I got too inventive there with the Doctor. ^^;; I wanted to make it clear Zarkon is this sick, perverted individual who tortures people for fun and in inventive ways. But now I am unsure. And yes, I never saw the chapter as ending with Allura fainitng...but that's how it ended up. At one point I started to write Lotor slapped Tesla to stop her from saying anymore, but the slap didn't feel right. So instead I had Allura start screaming hysterically. I'm very unsure of the last half of this chapter now...X_X

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Lotor Sincline, yes. Sometimes though the chapters with the Voltron Force surprises me, cause it proves easier to write. Though I know it won't always be easy, and that makes me all urgh...especially when a Mara chapter is upon me, and I am floundering with how to advance things from her end of things. I'm glad you are liking the Mara POVS too, even with your mortal enemy Keith having such a prominent role in her thoughts! XD


	21. Chapter 21

He rested on his knees, Lotor's head bowed. His hands were busy, fingers sifting through Allura's hair. He did this gesture repeatedly, the act of petting over her silky soft hair an attempt to calm his own agitation. Allura lay next to him, stretched out on a couch. She wasn't aware of what Lotor was doing, not even awake to see, to acknowledge he had his hands in her hair. It had been several minutes since she had fainted. Several long minutes that seemed to last an hour each. Lotor worried the entire time, even as the nurse, Qualenn, had tried to assure him Allura had done nothing more than faint from fright.

He gazed down at Allura as he petted her hair. She looked so pale, all the color seeming leeched from her face. Her lips were turned down in a frown, and though he could not see her eyes at the moment, Lotor was sure what they would have shown, would have disturbed him. Hell, he was already disturbed, not understanding why Allura had reacted so strongly in the dining room. Yes, he acknowledged that what she had been told was horrifying, but never had Lotor expected anyone to start screaming! Let alone Allura!

He had always thought of her as strong. Not in the ways of a warrior, but in her character. Her determination. Her sheer bravery to stand up against Zarkon. Now Lotor was coming to realize that in some ways, she was delicate. Almost fragile compared to the other women in the house, who had been able to not only listen to the recounting of Zarkon's depravity, but had endured some of it first hand.

It wasn't just that she had screamed. Allura had become hysterical, and it wasn't the first time she had panicked so. Lotor's lips turned down in a grim manner, the prince recalling how often Allura overreacted to his touches and embraces. It went beyond the fear of what she thought he would do. Lotor was sure she had been through some kind of trauma. Something that wasn't on record in any of the reports the Doom Empire had on her.

It was a very real fear of a very bad thing, that Lotor worried had happened to Allura. He thought it went beyond the fact that her home world had been invaded, that her parents had been killed, her own father slain by Zarkon's own two hands. Her people had suffered for years, those who had not been captured and enslaved, hiding beneath the ground. That alone might be traumatic enough, but Lotor was positive something more had to have happened.

It puzzled him as much as it troubled him. And all because Lotor didn't understand how she could have been left free after whatever ordeal she had been through. If she had fallen into a soldier's hands, wouldn't they have delivered her to Zarkon? Or at the very least killed her on sight? And yet she had obviously never been captured or killed, Allura not only living, but leading a rebellion against Zarkon.

Again he thought of her bravery, thinking it even more impressive that this young woman would fight after potentially being victimized first hand. He didn't think to be envious that she was doing what he had not been able to do. That Allura was fighting while Lotor tried to run. Instead he fell into even more admiration of Allura, loving her harder now than he had just a few hours ago.

A noise from behind him, the room's door opening. He didn't take his eyes off Allura, didn't even get up off his knees as footsteps approached him. He had a pretty good idea who it was, considering he had forbidden everyone from entering the room save for one person. That person was the nurse Qualenn, the pretty Drule having gone to fetch her medic's bag.

"Did you get it?" Lotor said out loud, voice soft but gruff.

"I was hoping we wouldn't need this." Qualenn said. "I was hoping she'd wake up on her own." She was besides him now, a small vial held in her hands. It was some sort of smelling salts, the pungent smell meant to force Allura awake. But Qualenn hesitated, looking not at Allura but at Lotor. "Are you sure you won't wait to wake her? Might be better to let her stay like this. Just for a while..."

"Do it." Lotor ordered. Maybe it was selfish of him, but he wanted to talk with Allura. Not just to get to the bottom of what had happened to her, but to help comfort them both.

"All right." Qualenn bent over Allura, bringing the vial just under the princess' nose. Lotor watched as her eyelids trembled, and then Allura was jerking back with a gasp. Her eyes snapped open, the beautiful blue looking wild. She hadn't sat up, instead pushing back into the couch's cushions. She opened her mouth to inhale, Qualenn having already taken the vial away. Lotor knew what was coming, realizing Allura hadn't recovered from her hysteria. In reaction to the coming scream, he had grabbed the glass of water that had sat near to him on the floor.

The water splashed into Allura's face, the girl choking, the scream sputtering out before it had a chance to be loud. Qualenn was already hurrying to hand Allura a towel, Lotor using his hands to carefully guide Allura to sit up right. He remained on his knees though, staring at her concerned.

Allura blinked many times in rapid succession. She stared at Lotor as she did this, her eyes no longer so panicked and wild. But she didn't relax, an agitated tension surrounding her. For a second he thought her face would crumple, Lotor actually expecting Allura to break down and cry. She earned even more admiration from him when she did not, Allura ignoring the towel and water dripping off her to speak.

"How...how can you live knowing what Zarkon did-does...how can you survive witnessing such things and still be sane?" Lotor opened his mouth to answer, but Allura suddenly continued. "You can't be...it's too cruel, too horrific. You've all been damaged by what he does..."

"That we have." Qualenn agreed quietly.

"It's insane!" Allura talked as though she hadn't heard what Qualenn said. "Anyone who would allow him to remain in power? They are crazy!"

"Not crazy." Lotor corrected. "Just scared. Helpless to do anything."

"Don't forget the nobles who are motivated by greed and the luxury of their lifestyle." Qualenn reminded them. "What does it matter, what that tyrant does, so long as their lives are not interrupted. That they can go on enjoying the good life, with little fear or worry that it will be taken from them."

"That's even worse!" Allura exclaimed. "They're selfish and cruel. Taking pleasure from the suffering and misery of others!"

"Such is the way it is on Doom." Lotor sighed. "It's all many of us have ever known."

Allura shuddered then. "I thought I knew the extent of which the Drule...I mean..." She hurried to correct herself. "The extent in which Zarkon would go to. Now I realize I had no idea. None of us knew...The Alliance wouldn't have allowed such things to happen otherwise."

"What could the Alliance possibly do?" Qualenn asked. "They have been trying for decades to rid the galaxy of Zarkon."

"Yes, but at least the rest of the Galaxy would know how he treats his own people. The Drules might not be as hated as they are now." Allura pointed out. "The Drules are as much a victim of his, as any one else!"

"Now you see why we chose to flee."

"Lotor..." Allura shook her head no. "Running is not the answer. This way, you're only saving a few people. When they are thousands, no millions left behind!"

He tried not to flinch then, tried to keep his expression from turning haunted. "There's no way to save everybody." Lotor insisted. "But if by running, I can move to save even one person..."

She actually laid a hand on his shoulder, Lotor's expression turning surprised at that willing touch. "Your heart is in the right place, Lotor. But...you're going about it all wrong!"

"What would you suggest?" Qualenn asked. "Not even Voltron has been able to get a decisive win against Zarkon. At best you only hold off his attempts to invade Arus. As long as Zarkon is safe in his castle, untouched by the fighting, then he can continue to throw ships and soldiers at you."

"Then we take the fight to him!" Allura decided. "Lotor, bring me back to Arus. With Voltron, and the Alliance backing us, we'd go to Doom. We'd bring the castle down on Zarkon, and end his reign."

"No!" Both Lotor and Qualenn shouted at the same time, Allura looking defiant.

"Why not?"

"I will not risk you in that way!" Lotor exclaimed, and Qualenn was nodding in agreement.

"It's too risky." She said.

"What's life without a little risk?" demanded Allura. "Lotor please..."

"Please don't badger the prince to do this." Qualenn begged. "You don't yet understand what it will cost him to lose you."

"Sometimes we have to sacrifice what we want most for the greater good." Allura told them. "I would give up my life if it meant the galaxy could be free of the threat of Zarkon. That hasn't changed. That will NEVER change."

Even after hearing the kind of things he does?" questioned Qualenn. "Even knowing the torture that will await you before you die?"

Allura couldn't pale any further, though a sickly look came over her. She started shaking again, her eyes closing briefly. "Yes." She whispered. "But I would make sure I died before he could get his hands on me."

"Would you really be able to kill yourself in that eventuality?" Qualenn asked.

"No. No, she would not." It was Lotor who answered, Allura opening her mouth in protest. "I know you. As long as you thought there was a chance to take out Zarkon, you would hang on. You would scheme and you would plot, risking everything on the hope that at the last possible second you'd get your chance to kill him."

"You would risk the torture?" Qualenn gasped out her question. "You would put yourself in jeopardy just to save everyone?"

"Why do you make me feel so guilty for wanting to say yes?" Allura cried out frustrated.

"That you would even think about saying yes, means you haven't heard enough about the kind of things Zarkon does." Lotor was grim then. He didn't want to talk about Zarkon's depravity, didn't want to risk Allura getting so horrified and upset she'd have another hysterical moment.

"I've heard enough." Allura murmured, shivering as though cold. She picked up the towel now, and began using it to dry herself off. "I'll have enough nightmares to last me years without having to hear more about Zarkon."

He could agree about that. Zarkon's actions were the very stuff that fueled nightmares, Lotor having had the misfortune of suffering from the bad dreams himself.

"Are you all right now, princess?" Qualenn asked.

"No...but I'll manage." Allura told her. She looked down. "I...I am sorry for my earlier behavior. Sorry for what I said...what I thought."

"You didn't know..." Lotor whispered.

"I should have...the galaxy should have made more effort to find out about the Drules, instead of making blind assumptions that the whole race is evil!" Allura scowled. "We let our fear cloud us, let it build up so that we would hate every last one of you."

"I'm sure you had valid reason to that hate." Lotor thought it was the perfect chance to ease into talk about Allura's past. "Your world was invaded, your parents killed, you people mistreated." She nodded slowly in agreement to each point. "But what about you?"

"Me?" Her expression was already turning wary.

"What did you go through?" Lotor clarified. "There's not a lot on record about you before Voltron was revived." He didn't bring up the rewards Zarkon had offered for Allura. Nor did he mention how Zarkon had encouraged his soldiers to abuse the girl anyway they saw fit. That kind of encouragement was put to an end, once Lotor had taken over the Arus mission. He had made it known that he would not tolerate Allura being hurt or abused in anyway. That he himself would personally kill anyone who so much as hurt a hair on Allura's head.

"There's records about me?" It was a clear evasion.

"The empire has extensive reports about Arus. Especially once Voltron became a problem. You've been watched for a long time now Allura. It's part of the reason why Mara is able to become you. She had plenty of material to study."

"And yet they don't know everything, right?" Allura asked, seeming anxious. "I mean...they couldn't have. If they had known where I was before Voltron was found..."

"You'd have been brought to Doom." Lotor told her. "But somehow you were lucky enough to avoid capture for all those years."

"Not lucky enough." Allura whispered, looking shaken. She didn't even seem aware of what she had just said, looking surprised when Lotor pursued that line of thought.

"What exactly happened? Who hurt you?" He licked his lips nervously. "Who saved you?" She was closing up before his eyes, expression losing all emotion. "Allura!" he cried out, immensely frustrated. He almost told her he had a right to know, though he knew he didn't. Not yet, not when Allura so clearly felt he hadn't earned anything where she was concerned.

"Princess..." The nurse, Qualenn spoke in a kindly tone. "It is quite obvious to me that you are still suffering post traumatic shock from whatever you've been through. It might help to talk about it. Please, if not with the prince, won't you share with me?"

Allura was quiet for several moments. But when she talked, it was terse, her jaw almost clenched. "Lotor has things he does not want to talk about. Please respect that the same is for me."

Qualenn looked hurt at the rejection. Lotor couldn't blame her, though he was more frustrated than anything. "The prince at least doesn't have panic attacks." It was almost snide, but Qualenn softened it with her tone. "Please. My offer still stands. I will always be willing to listen should you change your mind."

Another pause from Allura, and then with some difficulty she expressed a small gratitude. "Thank you Qualenn." She then looked back to Lotor. "Is the person from the temple here? I thought I saw Vorlac just before I fainted..."

"Yes, on both accounts." Lotor hesitated. "But are you sure you're up to this?"

"It's just confession Lotor. It's nothing too strenuous." Allura told him.

"Fine then." He finally rose up off his knees, wanting to press a reassuring kiss against Allura's lips. He settled for squeezing her hand gently, before turning to walk with Qualenn towards the door. Vorlac and several other Drules were waiting out in the hall. Their conversation immediately stopped, the group hurrying over to the prince.

"Is the princess all right?" One woman asked.

"What was that all about?" Another wanted to know. "I've never seen someone go so hysterical just from hearing about Zarkon's torments. At least..." He seemed to correct himself. "Not when they are safely out of the King's reach." They all seemed to shudder, remembering what relish Zarkon took just from telling his victims in vivid details what he was about to do to them. Often times Zarkon got his victims screaming and begging for mercy, before he had even laid a finger on them.

"There are some things we're not privy to." Lotor stated. "It is unfortunate, but until Allura is ready to share, it shall remain a mystery as to why she reacted the way she did."

"But..."

"Lotor has spoken!" snapped Qualenn. "We must respect that Allura does not wish to share." She said this in a gentler tone of voice.

"I know it is difficult. Opening yourselves up to her about your own private troubles and grief, and getting nothing in return." Lotor continued. "But I believe this morning was a turning point, near disaster that it almost proved to be. She's come away with her eyes open...and that cannot be a bad thing." He searched out Vorlac amidst the crowd, and the silver eyed Drule gave a sheepish smile.

"Seems I missed out on a lot of the excitement."

"That you did." Lotor gave a curt nod. "Is this the temple representative?" A human woman was standing besides Vorlac. The Drule would nod, and Lotor managed to hide his surprise. The fact that the temple would allow a woman to come to this place was shocking. Almost as much as the fact this woman would have agreed to come here alone among so many Drules. It spoke of a courage, some kind of strength that was not readily apparent when looking at this young woman.

"This is priestess Alexandria." Vorlac introduced, and the woman bowed her head in greeting. Lotor nodded at her, his eyes busy studying her appearance. She looked to be roughly the same height as Allura, garbed in a diaphanous gown of clingy white, that was in the style of Grecian Roman. Her skin was naturally pale, a lily whiteness in comparison to Allura's golden tanned beauty. The paleness complimented her, her long flowing black hair trailing down to the back of her thighs.

She was lovely, holding an almost ethereal quality to her. Again Lotor was surprised, thinking no one would allow such a beauty to go amongst the Drules, even friendly ones. Her green eyes showed no fear, there was no hint of nervous, just a seriousness that hinted at her devotion to her assigned task.

"Allura is waiting inside for you." Lotor spoke in basic to the priestess. Not all Simestians knew basic, given how isolated the world truly was. But one of the requirements the Drule had had when making the request to the temple, was that the representative spared could speak enough of the language for Allura to be able to communicate with them.

Alexandria nodded her head, but when Lotor and Vorlac moved to follow her, she paused. "Please. Confession is a private thing. It is a communion between the Gods' agents, and the person who is unburdening their soul."

"I don't know about this..." Vorlac said hesitantly, glancing at Lotor. "Is it really all right to leave Allura alone with her?"

"It's fine." Lotor said, and the look Vorlac gave him clearly said the Drule thought Lotor was being too trusting where Allura was concerned. "They'll just do confession. It'll be good for Allura..." He wondered if Allura would share her trauma with the priestess. It almost tempted him to listen at the door, though he would honor the privacy the priestess insisted on. "Go on. We will not disturb you."

A gracious nod from Alexandria. "Thank you." Her gown's skirt seemed to billow out behind her as she moved, the priestess entering into the room. Lotor heard Alexandria introducing herself to Allura, and then he was shutting the door. The Drules remained in the hall, looking like they still wanted to question Lotor about Allura.

"All right everyone." Lotor said loudly. "Let's clear out." There was some grumbles of protest, but the group began to disperse. Lotor caught sight of purple curls, and a growl escaped him before he could stop it. "Tesla!"

The startled female turned in his direction, a guilty look on her face. She didn't like the way he had growled, but Tesla also knew she had earned whatever trouble she might be in. "Prince Lotor..." She walked to meet him as he stalked towards her. The others in the hall quickly moved on, only Vorlac remaining to watch the scene between Lotor and the green skinned female.

"Just what do you think you were doing?" Lotor continued to growl, watching as Tesla dropped to one knee. She made a fist, and placed it over her heart, head bowed in submission. It wasn't enough, Lotor felt close to erupting and he feared what form his anger would take. And all because earlier when Tesla had been badgering Allura so cruelly with the knowledge of all Zarkon had done, and would do, Lotor had wanted to lunge forward and slap her silent. The fact that he had wanted to strike a woman disturbed him, and all because he abhorred even the thought of violence to women.

"Please your highness. I was in the wrong. Forgive me." Tesla spoke clearly, begging his forgiveness.

"I'm not the only one you have to apologize to!"

Her head was still submissively bowed so that he couldn't see her expression. But Lotor so how her body grew stiff with displeasure. Tesla didn't want to or like the idea of having to say she was sorry to Allura. "Must I?"

"You will do it Tesla." Lotor commanded her, actually grabbing her by her hair. He hauled on it until her eyes were staring into his, Lotor letting her see how displeased he was by her earlier actions. "You will make things right between you and Allura, or so help me, I will turn you out!"

Her eyes widened in horror. It was an effective threat. Tesla would have nowhere to go, her only choice being to return to Doom. "Please your highness, don't even joke about that!"

"You've been baiting Allura almost from the day you met her." Vorlac spoke up. "You've been so angry with her...and not all of it is justified."

"I will try to correct my behavior." Tesla said meekly to Lotor.

"You will do more than try." Lotor told her stiffly. "You will succeed at it, or you will be cast out." Abruptly, he let go of her hair, Tesla falling forward to bow even more submissively with her body. She seemed to be trembling, Tesla honestly frightened at the thought of Lotor abandoning her. It made him feel like a terrible person, but Lotor also knew he couldn't allow Tesla to continue to behave so venomously to Allura. There was enough problems around them, without Tesla's dislike of the princess adding to them!

Well...okay some things I fear won't be clear cause it's all a Lotor POV. Mainly, okay...when Qualenn and him both said no, and Qualenn was so against Allura returning to Arus. Qualenn is thinking of the Drules plans, the ones Lotor doesn't know about. She knows Haggar hasn't gotten an army for Lotor in place yet, so she knows that the Drules can't return to Doom without a suitable amount of soldiers ready to help them fight. She'll be intrigued by the fact Allura said Voltron and the Alliance would help them, and I think in a later chapter, probably from a Ryder POV, the Drules will talk about what Qualenn told them Allura said about overthrowing Zarkon. Qualenn agrees they have to overthrow Zarkon, she just knows they need more time before they can make an attempt at it. ^_-

At least I finally got the priestess introduced, even if it took several delayed chapters. I didn't fit in all of her appearance. I'm hoping to mention a key detail about her from Allura or Ryder's POV. You'll see what soon. And I want to thank TenJP, cause she had made a suggestion. I didn't use it the way she said, but I did have the Drule waiting outside the room, all curious and worried about Allura.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Wade Wells, thank you! You're getting closer to knowing what Allura has planned...next chapter I believe, since the priestess FINALLY got introduced! Yay! :D Oh and you made me blush with the excellent fic comment. Thank you so, so much! *hugs* Imagine how batty Allura is going over not knowing what the other people are keeping from her! But she gets just a little closer to the truth...you'll see next chapter! I think I would be going batty too...if I didn't know what I had planned! XD


	22. Chapter 22

Allura had a million thoughts and concerns going through her mind. So many things to think about, with unpleasant memories struggling to come to the surface. If she let those memories come, they'd overwhelm everything else. Leave her shaking and crying, a broken girl rather than the capable woman Allura knew herself to be. But it was not so easy to just dismiss those memories, snatches of images playing out in her mind. Allura would actually flinch in response to some of them, but her thoughts did not scatter completely.

She forced new memories into her mind. They weren't the best ones to have, Allura thinking on the conversation at breakfast this morning. She shuddered as she recalled Tesla, remembering the vivid picture the Drule female had painted of Zarkons' cruelty. Allura tried not to think too hard though, not wanting certain things Tesla had said to trigger her panic.

She thought further back, remember Qualenn talking about a Doctor. Oveious was a name she might never forget, the man forever linked to the horror she had felt over the meal he had been presented with. It wasn't just the cruel choice Oveious had been given, it was a sum of everything. From the victims tortured for Zarkon's amusement, or to send his message, to the suffering of the Drule people. Even the idea she had been given of just how terrible, how excruciating Allura's own suffering would be at Zarkon's vindictive hands.

All of it together lead Allura to one decision. Zarkon HAD to be stopped. For the sake of everyone in the Denubian Galaxy. Allura wasn't just fighting for Arus now, or for the Alliance. She was ready to fight for the Drules, to bring an end to the torments they had endured. She'd get Zarkon off his throne, see him executed for his crimes. Once Allura wouldn't have given much if any thought as to what would happen to the Drules once Zarkon was gone. She would have let the people, who she had thought were nothing more than evil criminals, be the problem of the Alliance.

Now she understood the Drules weren't all evil. That they deserved a chance to have an honorable person leading them. Someone who would rebuild their civilization, supply funding for programs that would help the Drules recover their lives. Someone who wouldn't punish those who were sick and unable to afford medical care. It seemed a big project to undertake, but Allura was determined to advocate for a people whose voice had been silenced for too long.

She couldn't do it from here. Simestia was too isolated a world. She needed the resources of her own planet, the support of her people. She needed the Alliance, and Allura needed Volron. The Drules here weren't ready to help anyone but themselves. It wasn't just Lotor who was running, if she judged Qualenn's response correctly. All the Drules here had abandoned their world, trying to flee to a better life. Allura could understand their reasons, though she couldn't approve of it.

The door to the room opened, and Allura immediately stood up. A human woman was entering, a soft smile on her lips. Allura looked at her curiously, thinking that this is what a Simestian must look like. She was very human in appearance, a beautiful green eyed woman. She had black hair that was almost longer than Allura's, loose but with some of the side strands swept back to form a shorter twist of cascading curls.

With her hair swept back like that, her ears were left uncovered. Allura's eyes widened when she noticed they were longer than a human's, pointed and looking very much like a Drule's. The woman began to introduce herself, but Allura barely paid attention. Instead she blurted out her shock, her wide eyes fixed on the woman's ears.

"Your ears are so long!" The woman did not take offense. If anything her smile became more pronounced. Allura immediately turned flustered, sheepishly looking away. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me. It's just...I've never met a Simestian before."

"Then we are even. I've never met a human off worlder before." The woman then gestured to herself. "My name is Alexandria. I am a priestess at the temple for this city." She paused expectantly, Allura still recovering from her embarrassment. "And you are?"

"OH! I am Allura of planet Arus."

"Arus." The priestess repeated carefully.

"Have you heard of it?" Allura asked hopefully, then deflated when the priestess shook her head no.

"I'm afraid Simestia doesn't have much contact with other worlds." The priestess came to sit down besides Allura. "We haven't wanted to. Not after what happened with Zarkon."

"I can't say I blame your people for feeling that way." Allura said. "I don't know much of what has went on, but if it's anything like Zarkon's usual tactics, then your world has suffered greatly."

The priestess bowed her head in acknowledgment of her world's suffering. "We are still recovering." She told Allura. "There is still some ways to go before we can truthfully say Simestia has healed of all that was done to it's land and it's people."

"Do you hate them?" Allura impulsively asked. The priestess looked surprised. "The Drule I mean?"

"I try not to hate anyone." Alexandria answered. "But there are people who fear the Drule, and yes, some might even hate them for what they've done."

"You didn't let that fear keep you from coming here." Allura noted approvingly.

"I have a sacred duty to help any in need." Alexandria answered. "It would be wrong to ignore those who need help."

"Yes, it would be." Allura agreed. "Priestess, I have a favor to ask of you. Maybe it's too great a one, but I beg you to hear me out."

"A favor?" Alexandria looked curious. "You do not want me to hear your confession?"

"That was the reason you were brought here under. But I...I have more need of you than just to unburden my soul." Allura looked urgently at Alexandria. "Please...I have to know I can trust you. That you won't betray anything that's said in this room."

"I take the confidence of confessions very seriously." Alexandria told her. "If it's your wish that I not speak on this, then no one shall hear."

Allura let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you. But it's just the Drules that I worry about." Another curious look from Alexandria. "I don't know if you noticed, but I am the only human among this large group of Drules."

"That they came with any humans was surprising." The priestess said.

"I guess it is." Allura agreed. "I might as well come out and say it. I was not willing when I was brought here to your world."

"You are their captive?" Alexandria's eyes had widened in alarm. Allura nodded, which only made the priestess more concerned. "They have not hurt you, have they?"

"Oh no! They're not treating me too badly, all things considered. But..."

"You can't stay here." Deduced Alexandria.

"Yes. There are things I must do. People I must help. I had a life on Arus, but more than that, I have responsibilities. To my people, and to the galaxy at large." Allura was sure her look was determined. "I have to get back to Arus. Not only to protect that world from Zarkon, but to defeat that madman."

Alexandria rose to her feet, gasping in shock. "Defeat him? You?"

"I wouldn't do it alone!" Allura protested in response to Alexandria's disbelieving look.

"I should certainly hope not!" The priestess exclaimed. "But how can you do, even with help, what a whole world of people could not?"

"Because it won't be just one world." Allura explained. "We will have all the worlds join together! United under the Galaxy Alliance, with Voltron leading the charge..."

"Voltron? What is Voltron?" The priestess interrupted.

Allura paused, blinking in surprise. "You've never heard of Voltron?" Alexandria shook her head no. "It's a...it's a robot my father built. It's what kept Arus free all this time."

"One robot up against the might of the Doom Empire?" Alexandria looked so skeptical then.

"I know it must sound impossible, but Voltron can pull off miracles!"

"Then why haven't you used it before this to defeat Zarkon?" Allura turned embarrassed at that question.

"I was foolish. I wasn't thinking of the bigger picture. Wasn't thinking beyond protecting my own world, and helping a few of Arus' neighbors. I thought as long as we kept Zarkon from invading Arus, we were safe. I realize now...we were protecting ourselves, but condemning millions of others to the same suffering we sought to avoid!" Allura exclaimed. "Priestess, that may be my biggest sin. I am ashamed of myself...ashamed of how ignorant I had been. I hated a race, a whole planet of people who were suffering as much if not more than my own. I saw them as evil, as a problem that needed to be eliminated. I didn't try to learn about them. To understand what they were going through. It's a sin shared by others, maybe the whole of the Denubian Galaxy, for the hate and fear of this people runs far."

"The Drule." Alexandria whispered. "You are talking about the Drule."

"Yes! Zarkon...he doesn't care about anyone. He hurts the Drule as much as he hurts the other worlds."

"I've heard some stories..." Alexandria was still whispering. "I was fortunate not to be born during that time, but the elders...oh how they remember! And they talk, wanting us to never forget the horrors of Zarkon. The things he did, not only to our own people, but to his own family..."

"His family?" Allura asked sharply.

"He took a wife from among the slaves he made of the Simestians." Alexandria explained. "Some would say he returned to this planet with her, in order to please her in some way. But many agree, he brought her here only to make her suffer. To make her watch how he treated her beloved people. As if that wasn't painful enough, he began turning that abuse onto her. And onto the son they had made."

"Zarkon's son...?" Allura said it slowly, somehow managing not to gasp. But she was sure her eyes were as wide as saucer plates by now.

"I do not know his name." Alexandria told her. "I think no one here knows. They just remember the young boy screaming, his mother trying to save both herself and him by jumping from the highest window in this mansion."

Allura suddenly thought she now had an even better understanding of why there were bars in every window. Even worse, she felt tears prick her eyes, Allura wanting to weep at the thought of that young boy Lotor had been. How terrified he must have been, as his own mother tried to kill them both. She used the word try, because she remembered that conversation with Lotor, where he had spoke of how his mother would have wished to die on her beloved home world, Simestia.

"The injuries weren't enough to kill them." Continued Alexandria in a hushed voice. "Nor were they enough to get the King to stop hurting them." She shook her head then. "This house has seen a lot of violence, a lot of cruelty. Some whisper that the people tortured and killed here, still linger in this place, unable to move on."

If Zarkon had done anything like the tortures Tesla and Qualenn had talked about to the Simestians, no wonder they had left the mansion abandoned. "It's so horrible. The more I hear about him, the more I want to kill him myself!" Allura exclaimed fiercely. "I'm sorry. I know it's wrong to kill. That it's wrong to even want to hurt someone. But Zarkon must be stopped. Even if he's captured alive, there's no way the Alliance would allow a criminal of his level to avoid execution." She exhaled a breath, trying to get control of her raging emotions. "Please priestess. You must help me!" She took hold of Alexandria's hands, the priestess coming to sit down next to Allura once more.

"What must I do?"

"I need you to get a message out. To Arus." Allura said. "But more than that...I need you to help me escape if you possibly can." She tried not to flinch, knowing she was about to ask for a lot. "Are their any strong men you can rely on? Any men who would be willing to break into the mansion, fight the Drule if it came to it?"

"No one would dare lift a hand to a group of Drules as large as this one!" protested Alexandria with a gasp. "If Zarkon were to learn of such an act of agrression, he would return here to kill us all!"

"Zarkon would never know! I promise you!" Allura swore. Alexandria didn't look like she believed her, shaking her head no. "These Drules, they are no longer part of his Empire. They are running from him...running from the horrors of his reign. Don't you see, priestess? If they complain to Zarkon, they lose as much as you do. He would kill them all for their attempts to flee him." She stared hard at Alexandria. "And that is before you take into account that they helped kill his son."

"They killed his son?" Alexandria gasped anew.

"That's what the rest of the galaxy believes." Allura couldn't smile. "His son wanted away from Zarkon so badly, that he'd rather fake his own death then stay and watch the suffering continue." Allura was wondering what Zarkon had done that had been the driving point that made Lotor's mother decide to attempt suicide rather than continue living surrounded by Zarkons' madness. "You may have even met Lotor."

"Lotor." Alexandria said. "That is the son's name?"

Allura nodded. "He's tall like all the other Drule, but he has a long mane of white hair."

"Ah yes. I know which one you speak of." Alexandria frowned. "Hard to believe the boy is alive, and that he didn't grow up to be as twisted as the father is."

"Oh Lotor has some issues. But I'm coming to understand he's nowhere near bad like Zarkon is." Allura sighed. "But he doesn't understand why we should go back. Why we should fight for everyone's safety. I can't stay here on Simestia, and I sure as hell can't go to some other galaxy. I wouldn't be able to live my life, knowing I turned my back on everyone!"

"You are very kind." Alexandria said. "You are brave, and determined."

"That I am." Allura agreed. "I can't pretend to be fearless. I am TERRIFIED of what will happen if I fail and fall into that monster's hands. But I know I have to do something! It feels as though this is my calling, my true purpose in life." She gave a half laugh. "I dedicated my life to my people, to helping them recover. It wasn't wrong what I did, but I know now I could have been doing so much more!"

"I will help you." Alexandria decided. "In any way I can. I don't know if I can find anyone to agree to make a raid on the mansion, but I can at least put out a call to your Arus."

"Thank you." Allura squeezed her hands, wanting to hug the priestess but not knowing if it was proper. The priestess gave her a squeeze back, and then they were letting go of each other's hands. "Let me see...there might be some paper in here." Allura stood up, Alexandria doing the same. The two would begin to move about the room, intent on finding something to write with.

One of the first places Allura checked was a desk, the girl pulling open all the drawers. They were predominantly empty, this desk and room having not been used in decades. But there was broken pencil halves laying inside one of the drawers, Allura grabbing one. Alexandria would walk towards her with a book in hand, looking apologetic. "I could not find anything but a few books." She said.

"That's fine." Allura took the book from her, and began flipping through it. She came across a page that was the end of a chapter, almost blank save for a few ending lines. "Perfect." Allura breathed out in satisfaction. She carefully ripped the page from out of the book, and then set it down on the desk. "I'm going to give you both the private and emergency com frequencies to the castle. Someone is always monitoring them both."

Alexandria was nodding, though she had a question. "The castle?"

"That's the castle of lions, my home." Allura said, looking up from what she was writing. She gave an embarrassed smile. "I haven't properly introduced myself after all. I am Allura, the princess of Arus."

Alexandria looked stunned. "Any...anything else I should know?"

"Not about me. But talk to Coran. He's my advisor, and the regent in charge of my absence. You have to make clear to him, that the Allura on planet Arus is NOT me. That she is a Drule disguised by Haggar's magic." Alexandria was starting to look a little overwhelmed and Allura couldn't blame her. "It was not just Lotor's death they faked. They've replaced me with an imposter to hide that I've been kidnapped. Tell him to send the lions to Simestia, but make him understand this is a rescue mission only. They are not to kill any of the Drules with me."

For good measure, Allura wrote this all down. She then straightened, folding the paper and handing it to Alexandria who hesitated. "I have no pockets in my gown." She pointed out. Allura frowned for a minute, eyes critical as she looked the priestess over.

"Ah...pardon me..." Allura was trying to be practical as she slip the note down into the priestess' bodice. The note was squeezed between the priestess' breasts, the pale women holding the faintest blush to her cheeks. "They didn't do like a pat down or anything when they brought you here, did they?"

Alexandria looked scandalized at the thought. "They would not have dared!"

"Good." Allura smiled, satisfied. "It's not the way I wanted to do things, and I certainly don't want to have to sit around and wait but...it's better then doing nothing at all!" She took hold of the priestess hands again. "Thank you. Thank you so much..." She didn't dare say anything about how the fate of the galaxy now rested on the priestess' ability to make the call to the castle. Alexandria didn't need anymore pressure on that front.

"I'm just doing what I can to help." Demurred Alexandria.

Letting go of one of Alexandria's hands, Allura began urging her towards the door. "You can't imagine how much better I feel." She was saying, as she began to pull open the door. "Is it all right if I walk out with you?"

"Of course." Alexandria said, but Allura was gasping. The door had fully opened, revealing a silver eyed Drule. And he was not happy, eyes narrowed into a glare, hands on his hips.

"Vorlac!" exclaimed Allura, and she didn't have to fake that frightened gasp. "Oh..I didn't see you there at first. The priestess was just leaving..." She was trying to act as if nothing had happened, but could tell by his anger that Vorlac had been eavesdropping. And still Allura tried to usher Alexandria past him, hoping against hope that he didn't know enough to stop them.

"Ryder was right to be suspicious about you!" Vorlac said, grabbing a hold of Allura's arm. Allura fought not to scream, wanting to urge Alexandria to make a break for it, foolish though that running would be.

"What are you talking about?" Allura managed, though she was far from calm. "I've done nothing."

"Nothing but plot behind our back!" Vorlac snapped. "Lotor trusted you! And you would betray him the first chance you get!"

"It's not like that!" Allura protested indignantly. "Vorlac, Zarkon has to be stopped! You know he has too! And we won't be able to do it alone...!" Vorlac's eyes flickered, the scaly Drule fighting not to show some kind of emotion. Allura wondered if he agreed with her, and pressed on. "We need Voltron, and we need every planet in the Alliance backing the robot, to help us rid the galaxy of Zarkon!" His look was one of intrigue, Allura feeling hopeful.

"And what of the Drule?" He asked. "What would you have done to our people?"

"Help them of course! Help them so they can rebuild their lives, heal from the horrors of Zarkon. So they can be the good people you tell me they all are!" Allura exclaimed. "So they can not only be productive members of the galaxy, but a welcome addition to the Alliance."

"It won't be easy." Vorlac said, his grip loosening on Allura's arm.

"Nothing worth having is!" Allura pressed on. "But it can be done! If you won't do it for yourself, or your people...do it to honor the memory of your murdered family!" Allura realized than that she had gone too far. Alexandria gasped, Vorlac's expression turning angry once more. "I'm sorry." She quickly said. "Tesla..."

"Tesla speaks about what she shouldn't." Vorlac grumbled. "And so do you." With that he was shoving Allura back into the room.

"What are you going to do?" Allura cried out. Vorlac stood in the doorway, reaching for Alexandria's arms.

"Going to figure out how to deal with this problem you caused us."

"You won't hurt her." Allura stated confidently. "Priestess, he won't hurt you." Alexandria didn't look at all reassured by what Allura had just said. "Vorlac..."

"You just sit here, and shut up!" Vorlac snapped, and dragged Alexandria out of the room.

"At least let me see Lotor then!" Allura demanded.

"Princess, you aren't in any position to make demands!" Vorlac growled, kicking the door close. Allura immediately ran to the door, hearing the lock engaged. She was furious, shouting at Vorlac to open the door, and in the next breath pleading with him to bring her to Lotor. She didn't think any of the Drules would hurt Alexandria, but she also didn't know what they would now that the priestess knew everything.

*hums* To Be Continued!

Michelle


	23. Chapter 23

Ryder was in a bad mood. A mood that had started at breakfast, what amusement he had had at watching his prince with the princess, destroyed in an instant. He knew whose fault it was too, at least partially. The very same princess whose embarrassment he had so enjoyed. And all because Allura continued to spew ignorant, downright hateful words.

Ryder told himself he didn't care what Allura thought of his people, the Drules. He told himself she was just another human, neither the first nor the last in a long line of bigoted opinions. That he and the others were used to being feared and reviled, hated simply because of what race they had been born as. Her words shouldn't, wouldn't have any power over him. Not personally. But Ryder had seen the way they had affected Lotor, the crushing disappointment on the prince's face. He had been hurt by Allura's words, surely taking it as a personal rejection that the princess could think so low of his own people.

Lotor hadn't been the only one upset by the comments Allura had made. But Lotor had probably hurt the worse. Ryder didn't know about being in love, but he had a pretty good idea that it wasn't a warming feeling to hear how disgusted your kind made your lover feel.

Ryder wasn't like Lotor. He didn't have much patience left for Allura. He was ready to write her off as a lost cause, and if he had been Lotor? He would have already dismissed Allura from his sight. Ryder would have gladly packed Allura up, and shipped her off to Arus. He'd even have slapped a bow around her neck, if it would speed her journey home. But he couldn't do any of it. Not so long as Lotor continued to be in love with the princess of Arus.

His lower lip curled, Ryder sneering at the portable in front of him. It was a small computer, sleek, black and compact. It's battery wasn't much, easily drained in an instant. He had been switching the portable on and off every ten minutes. There wasn't much life left to it's battery, and this call would be his last attempt unless he could get Vorlac to find him another battery.

He began the messaging procedures, fingers tapping out the communication code in an impatient manner. It was fitting, for everything about this call made him frantic, Ryder impatient and angry, his bad mood growing worse. He shuddered to think what would have happened if he had stayed at the breakfast to listen to any more of Allura's twisted view point. Ryder thought he'd probably be downright murderous if he had stayed.

"Come on, come on." Ryder said, having hit enter on the keyboard. The signal was going out, but it would take time. It had to bounce off of several planets, each one there to add further encryption to the code, and make it harder to track where the call had originated from. By the time it would reach the ship on Kirentya, the computer was whining in protest, a red light flashing to signal how close to failing the battery was.

"Talk to me." Haggar's voice was a welcome relief to hear, Ryder closing his eyes for one-second. The witch hadn't asked who it was. She knew better than to give any names over this line, secure as it was.

"Where have you been?" Ryder demanded. "I've been trying for the better part of an hour to get a hold of you!"

"It's busy times." Was her answer. "As much as I have to do, I still have to do HIS work as well." Ryder knew the he she referred to was Zarkon, the witch juggling the work the King ordered of her, in addition to her assigned tasks for Prince Lotor.

"We all have work to do." Ryder pointed out.

"But some of us have more time to relax than others." Haggar complained.

"None of us will be able to truly relax until this is all over with." Ryder retorted. "Do you have any good news for me?" The door to his room opened, Ryder tensing for a moment. He didn't relax when he saw it was Vorlac. The silver eyed Drule was too agitated, too angry for Ryder not to react. He gave Vorlac a questioning look, but the Drule shook his head signifying that Ryder should complete his call with Haggar.

"Almost." Haggar was saying. "There's been a deal arranged. Seems our agent in the field managed to convince them to do the exchange." The agent in the field was Mara, posing as Allura. The exchange in question was the handing over of the dead Drule, including the body disguised as Lotor.

"Is there an estimate on when this exchange will take place?" Ryder asked. The signal strength was dropping drastically. The call would be over in seconds, whether he wanted it to or not.

"Tomorrow." Haggar promised. "It happens tomorrow."

It wasn't just Zarkon they were worried about overhearing this communication. Garrison and the Alliance were known for tapping into any communications that came from or went to the Drules. It was why they spoke so carefully, avoiding speaking in clear terms. "I may not be able to get in touch with you until next week." Ryder told Haggar. "But know we will be taking care of things on our end."

"I will do the same over here." Just like that the call was ended, neither one wishing the other luck. With all they had to do, to accomplish? They had to make their own luck, rather than rely on things just happening.

Vorlac was trying and failing not to pace by the door. Ryder switched off his portable, knowing this particular computer would not be activated again any time soon. The damaged wires on this property was both a blessing and a hindrance. It bought them time they needed to delay Lotor's plans, but kept them from using the technologies brought with them.

Vorlac spoke, the instant Ryder snapped closed the portable. "We've got trouble." Was all he said.

Ryder held in a sigh, wondering what Allura had done now. "The princess?" Vorlac nodded, none of his anger and agitation fading. "What has she done?"

"I'll tell you on the way." Vorlac gestured for Ryder to follow him, the agitated Drule looking too impatient. As though he couldn't even stand still to wait for Ryder to cross over to him. Ryder knew then it had to be bad, for Vorlac's mood seemed worse than Ryder's own! That was almost shocking, considering Vorlac usually managed to remain calm in response to Allura's antics.

Vorlac didn't start talking until they were both out in the hall. Ryder's room was on the second floor of the mansion, and Vorlac immediately headed towards the staircase at the end of the hall. "Remember that confession she wanted to have?" Ryder nodded. "It was all a set up."

"I am not surprised."

"Well, I am." Vorlac said. "I really thought she meant it when Allura said she wanted confession. I just thank the Gods you had enough sense to order me to listen in on that confession of hers!"

"So what exactly was she confessing to?" Ryder asked, then said. "All about how the big bad Drules kidnapped her?"

"Something like that." Vorlac grimaced. "She told the priestess everything! About who she is, who Lotor is. About us faking Lotor's death, about how she has to get back home to Arus..." Ryder let out an angry curse. "It gets worse." Vorlac said, starting down the stairs. "She asked the priestess to help her escape. To send a message to Arus."

"Well, doesn't this just complicate things." Ryder grumbled. "Where's the priestess now?"

"I locked her in a separate room on the first floor. Thought you'd want to talk to her."

Ryder nodded in approval. "Yeah. I do. I've got some choice words for both this priestess and Allura." They had left the stairs, Vorlac once again in the lead. "Does Lotor know?"

"Haven't told him yet." Vorlac's shoulder sagged. "Didn't want to upset him with the knowledge that the princess had played on his trust of her."

"He's going to have to be told." Ryder told him. "But first I want to speak to this priestess. See if she can't be reasoned with, or her silence bought."

"Somehow I don't think this female will be swayed by gold." Vorlac said, as they turned a corner. "She's a holy woman."

"It's been my experience that the people associated with churches and temples can be the most greedy of all." Ryder retorted. "And if she doesn't want the gold for herself, she can always use it for some charity."

"Still don't think this is going to work." Vorlac muttered.

"Then there's always a third option." Ryder said, as Vorlac came to a halt before a closed door. The man pulled a set of keys out of his pocket, but turned to look at Ryder with his scaly brow raised.

"Third option?" He questioned, sounding nervous.

"We scare her into behaving." Ryder flashed a humorless grin that was all fang. "The Drules have quite a reputation we can play on."

"I sure hope you know what you're doing." Vorlac muttered, and turned back to the door. He immediately put the key in the lock, and turned it, and then was pushing open the door. Ryder saw that the room was one that had been cleaned, the furniture's colors faded, but in otherwise good repair. The room itself looked to be an office of some kind, Ryder having the stray thought that maybe Zarkon had used this room as his own private study.

The priestess was standing by one of the windows, one of her hands curled around a bar. Her back was to them, she hadn't even turned when the door had opened. Ryder wondered what she was looking at, and if she was consumed with fear over what would happen to her. He'd add to that fear as need dictated, the first thing Ryder doing was to slam the door shut behind him and Vorlac.

The violent sound was enough to startle the priestess. She actually seemed to jump in place, her small hand letting go of the bar. Ryder saw her incredibly long hair sway from her movements, the priestess starting to turn around. Ryder put on his most menacing expression, and opened his mouth to speak. And then her turn was complete, Ryder being hit with an emerald gaze that was more serene that it ought to be given the situation.

No words came out of his mouth, Ryder standing there slack jawed. He had looked beyond her eyes, to see the face they were set in. Cute button nose, elegant cheek bones, and sensual pouty lips. She was an attractive package, far more beautiful than he had ever expected someone associated with a church to be. His brain stopped working, Ryder just looking and looking at her.

Vorlac was shifting beside him. The silver eyed Drule didn't know what was happening. Hell, Ryder didn't know, thinking his heart was beating a little faster. He thought he felt aware of the blood pounding in his veins, his senses coming alive. He continued to stare, noticing more and more details about her. Such as her ears, which looked too much like a Drules' to be mere coincidence. Somewhere in her line, someone in her family had slept with a Drule. Considering Simestia's history with the Empire, Ryder wouldn't be surprise if Zarkon had had his soldiers pillage and rape the humans left behind.

She wore no earrings on her ears. Indeed she had no jewelry, no rings, no choker for her neck. His eyes were drawn towards her clothing, Ryder blatant as he checked over her figure. Her waist was not thin enough for to be bony, but not big enough for her to be fat. Instead she was voluptuous, and Ryder thought he might break into a sweat as he checked out her curves. He started wondering just what kind of priestess she was, Ryder thinking how she fit the image of what some fertile Goddess would look like.

That thought promptly got him to close his mouth, Ryder frowning. Had he really just compared this woman to a Goddess? That was almost as bad as Lotor calling Allura perfect! He didn't like it, and the more he looked at her, the more Ryder decided he didn't like the effect she had had on him. The instant pull of attraction he was feeling was stronger than any lust he had ever had for women in the past. It made him decide she must be a witch, or some fey being sent to tempt him so. His hands curled into fists at his side, Ryder digging his claws into his palms for the pain they would cause him.

The pain didn't rid him of the attraction he felt, but it did allow his mind to clear enough that he could think better. Vorlac was looking back and forth, between Ryder and the priestess. His brow was furrowed, the Drule clearly suspecting something was happening. But he couldn't quite guess what.

"You cannot continue to keep me here!" The priestess had taken it upon herself to break the silence. "It is wrong to imprison another!"

"Does that extend to those who commit crimes as well?" Ryder asked, still digging his claws into his palms. He watched her blink in response, Ryder giving her a humorless smile. "To the rapists and the murderers? To the thieves and the abusers?"

"Those who do evil will be punished. If not by society, then by the Gods' hands!" She exclaimed.

"I don't believe in your Gods' punishment." He told her. "Just as I don't believe we've done anything wrong. To you, or to any other."

"You are holding me against my will." She pointed out.

"You've merely been detained for a while." Ryder replied in a smooth manner. She gave him a doubting look.

"What about the princess of Arus?" She asked. "Have you not kidnapped her, and brought her here against her own will?"

"I can't deny that we've done that." Ryder said. "But we did it to save her, not to hurt her!"

"It is admirable if you try to save someone. But I think the princess is more the type to save others than to be saved." He didn't understand what she meant by that, Ryder frowning puzzled. "She has a purpose." The priestess continued. "One that extends beyond her charitable work on Arus."

"What are you talking about?" Ryder demanded.

"She's going to defeat Zarkon." He would have laughed if not for the absolutely serious look on the priestess face. "She is going to bring peace to the galaxy. She is going to save everyone, even the Drule."

"Uh yeah...about that..." Vorlac said, and switched to the Drule language. "I can't say I understand the how and the whys, but the princess is suddenly on board with the idea that the Drule people are worth her time and attention."

"And that means what exactly?" Ryder asked, also speaking in Drule. He kept his eyes on the priestess, but it wasn't like he had a choice. He couldn't have looked away, he felt mesmerized by her.

"She wants to free them of Zarkon's rule. She wants to set up charities, funding for the people of Doom. Help them recover their lives, and get over how Zarkon mistreated them." Vorlac sounded just as disbelieving as Ryder felt. "She'd even see our people become productive members of the Galaxy Alliance. People who aren't just tolerated, but welcome by the other worlds."

"And you believe her?" Ryder demanded.

"Don't know...don't know if I can trust this sudden acceptance of us Drules." Vorlac admitted. "It could be a trick. She might say anything to get away from us, from Lotor."

"It is no trick." The priestess had spoken up, and to their shock she had not only understood what they had been saying, she had replied in Drule! Both men gaped at her, more than a little astonished to hear the pretty human speak so fluently in their language. "Princess Allura is a passionate young woman. When she believes in something, she believes with all her spirit. And she believes helping the Drule is the right thing to do!"

"And...you could tell us this from meeting with her for only a few minutes?" demanded Ryder.

"I looked into her eyes, and I saw how earnest she was about this. I saw into her soul." The priestess sounded defensive then. "I believe in her."

"Is it that belief that made you want to help her?" Vorlac asked.

"If you truly listened to everything we said to each other, you would have heard how I believe in helping people." The priestess retorted.

"Well, yeah. I heard that part. I also heard about her writing a note."

"A note?" Ryder questioned.

"Yeah. Priestess Alexandria denies any existence of such a note. But I know what I heard."

To himself, Ryder repeated the priestess name, savoring knowing this small detail about her. He then frowned, hating how he was far more interested in her name, than the fact she had hidden a note somewhere. "Give me the note." Ryder said, then repeated it more forcefully. "Give it to me." She actually shook her head no, emerald gaze looking defiant.

"You don't know who you're messing with." Ryder said in a low growl, trying to intimidate her.

"I know what the Drule were made to do in the past to Simestia." Alexandria told him. "Just as I know from speaking with Allura, that you are not the same as those Drules. You wouldn't have fled Zarkon's evil if you were capable of those things."

"It's a lot of faith you're giving based on one girl's perceptions of us." Ryder told her. "It could get you into a lot of trouble."

"It...it won't."

"What do you call this?" Vorlac sounded amused now.

"A mere delay." Alexandria took her eyes off Ryder to look at Vorlac. Ryder didn't like that, didn't want her looking at anyone but him. His own eyes narrowed, Ryder recognizing he had had a sudden irrational surge of jealousy just then. He growled in response to it, and Alexandria looked back at him. He hated how being the focus of that green gaze helped to calm some of the emotions raging out of control inside him.

That growl of his had made her nervous, but no less defiant. "I will leave here." She said. I will use the princess' note, and make the call she so desperately needs."

"You can be damn sure, you're not leaving here with that note." Ryder snapped at her, watching her flinch at the curse word. "Now hand it over, or I will make you."

"You cannot."

"You challenge me?" Ryder gave her his best evil smile. Her nervous look increased, but she nodded her head, firm in her decision. "Make yourself of use, Vorlac."

"What should I do?" The Drule asked, sounding worried.

There was two options at this point. And neither one appealed to Ryder, for Vorlac would either be holding the priestess arms, or using his hands to pat her down. Ryder knew he couldn't handle the sight of Vorlac's hands moving over the priestess' curves. He chose the lesser evil, ordering Vorlac to grab and hold the priestess steady.

"What are you doing?" She cried out in alarm, Alexandria struggling. But she couldn't get free, a human female so weak in comparison to the raw, physical strength of a Drule. "Let me go!"

"You had your chance to do this the easy way." Ryder couldn't help but taunt her. "Now we'll get the note MY way." He couldn't stop his voice from betraying just how much he was relishing what he was about to do. It was all because he was going to touch her. To actually experience how smooth her skin was, to feel if her body was as soft as her looks promised.

He slowly sauntered towards her, Vorlac tightening his grip on her arms to stop Alexandria's struggles. She didn't so much as whimper in pain, though she had to be hurting from Vorlac's hands. Ryder stared at her, going right into her personal space so that the toes of his boots touched the tip of her sandals peeking out underneath her skirt. Her green eyes were wide with apprehension, the priestess scared and unable to hide it.

Ryder almost felt bad for her fear, but then he remembered how she had made him feel. That unnatural surge of what had to be lust. It made him angry, his eyes tightening with the emotion. If she noticed the mad way he looked at her, Alexandria did not comment.

He was close enough that if Ryder wanted to, he could have kissed her. Once he had that thought, kissing that plump, pouty mouth consumed him. Ryder would actually lick his own lips, staring at Alexandria's mouth. He stared too long, Vorlac coughing.

"If you're going to do it, do it now!"

Ryder didn't dignify that with a response, but he was glad a Drule's coloring did not allow for a blush to show. He continued to stare at Alexandra's mouth as he put his hands on the sides of her waist. Instantly, those lips parted, a gasp escaping her. As he moved his hands to slide slowly up her waist, he raised his eyes to hers. Some of the fear had gone, Alexandria looking outraged. The anger would only spike, the green of her eyes turning into emerald flames as his hands touched her breasts.

"How dare you!" She hissed, and Ryder's own breath caught in his throat. She was soft, her breasts pliant mounds he wanted to explore. But he tried to keep the touch professional, even as Alexandria treid to squirm free, causing her breasts to jiggle in his grip. He was pretty sure she wasn't wearing a bra beneath that gown, and Ryder had to fight the impulse to hook his claws into the white fabric, and wrench it down to see.

"Stop!" Alexandria shouted, Ryder continuing to feel over the bodice of her gown. All too soon Ryder realized the note was wedged in between those large breasts of hers. He'd have to reach in to get it, and the thought excited him, as much as made sweat bead on his brow. Could he handle touching her bare skin directly? Did he even have a choice in the matter? Ryder swallowed, suddenly nervous as he dipped his fingers beneath her bodice. The priestess trembled, but did not lessen her glare.

It was over with too quickly, Ryder's fingers snagging hold of the folded note. He slowly slid his hand out of the priestess' top, and stepped back. She did not wilt in relief, body still coiled with tension. Ryder open the note, and glanced at it quickly before tearing it into pieces. "So much for that." He smiled, Vorlac letting go of the shaking priestess.

The smile was suddenly, violently slapped off his face. Ryder stared shocked at the priestess, whose hand was still raised. Her eyes were so angry. and he realized that all this time her shaking had been born not of fear but of rage. "How dare you!" She hissed, even as Vorlac made a strangled sound. It was clear the scale covered Drule was trying not to laugh over what Alexandria had just done.

"I'll give you ten thousand." Ryder said flatly, choosing not to address the fact that she had slapped him. "In gold, not credits." He clarified, rightfully assuming the Simestians would have no use of the credits predominantly used between Alliance based worlds.

"What?" Her anger wasn't lost, even as Alexandria was confused.

"To keep quiet about this matter." Ryder explained. "To pretend you never spoke with the princess of Arus."

"You think to bribe me, after you molested me!" She exclaimed in disbelief.

"I didn't molest you." Ryder argued.

"Your hands were down my bodice!" She snapped, a faint blush on her cheeks. "You touched my...my..."

"Breasts." Vorlac supplied helpfully, as though the priestess might not know the word for it in Drule. "He touched your breasts."

"You're not helping." Ryder grumbled to Vorlac, who this time didn't try to hide his laugh.

"It doesn't change the fact that you did touch them." Vorlac retorted.

"She gave me no choice!" Ryder snapped, and glared at Alexandria. "If you had just given me the note when I had asked..."

"You didn't ask, you ordered!"

"Either way, you should have done it!" Ryder told her. "Now, is the ten thousand enough for you?"

"No. I will not be bribed."

"Twenty-thousand then." Ryder said in a reasonable tone "Think of all the good you can do with that money, all the people you can help."

She didn't even hesitate, Alexandria hissing. "Not even if it was fifty-thousand, would I do as you want."

"Then we have a problem." Ryder informed her. "Because you're not leaving here, until I can trust you'll be quiet."

Alexandria didn't try to suddenly pretend she would acquiesce. "The temple will never allow you to hold me prisoner. They will come for me!"

"They'll never even know." Ryder said, and turned from her. Already he missed looking at her, but Ryder forced himself not to turn back. Not even for one more look. Instead he grabbed Vorlac by the arm, propelling him out the door.

"They will notice!" Alexandria was shouting after them. "They will see I have not returned, and they will realize what has happened."

Vorlac waited until the door was closed and locked to look at Ryder. "She's right you know. They're going to want answers and they're going to want them soon."

"I'll think of something..."

"Well, do it fast." Vorlac said, looking at Ryder critically. "What the hell was that in there?"

"What was what?" Ryder pretended not to know.

"That. There was that tension between you two...It was almost like you wanted an excuse to touch her."

"You're imagining things." Ryder retorted.

"I'm not imaging that tent in your pants." Vorlac smirked. "Did her breasts really feel that good to you?"

Ryder could have blushed, but instead growled, pretending to take a swing at Vorlac. "Go! Tell Lotor what Allura has done!" He ordered. Vorlac was still smirking as he avoided Ryder's punch. Ryder then gave him a shove, trying to goad him into leaving. And with Vorlac went the keys, Ryder feeling it a mixed blessing. If he had had hold of the keys, he would have surely gone back into the room to stare at Alexendira like a fool.

"I have to stay away from that witch." Ryder muttered, then looked down. The fabric of his pants was straining over his erection, making him grimace from the discomfort of the tight fit. He knew he would have to do something about his out of control cock first, before he could even concentrate to think up on how to handle the Alexandria situation. The choice of words was too much for him, Ryder moaning as he imagined handling Alexandria for a longer, more thorough touching. Not for the first time, he wondered what was wrong with him, Ryder hurrying off to the privacy of his bedroom.

I really liked how this chapter came out...except for the ending line. XD Ryder's so naughty!

To Be Continued!

Michelle


	24. Chapter 24

She had been left alone for too long. Allura didn't know the time exactly, for there was no watch, no clock to count down the hours. But she had been left trapped in this room, long enough for Allura to have paced herself into exhaustion. She hadn't been able to remain in one place, Allura agitated. She all but tore apart the room, looking for something, anything that would help her open the door.

But she didn't even have pins for her hair! Nor had there been any kind of wire or paper clip could have used in an attempt to pick the door's lock. Allura had spent much time shouting, kicking and banging on the door. She was sure her hands would bear bruises from how often she had struck the sturdy wood.

Every book on the shelf had been knocked over, and flipped through. The books were written in the Drule language. She couldn't even read them to pass the time, not that Allura could calm herself enough to want to actually read.

Even here on the first floor, there were bars on the windows. Allura wondered why. Had Zarkon been that intent on keeping Lotor and his mother trapped in this mansion? Or had this room been one that had doubled as a prison for those others he tortured and killed? She couldn't know for sure, and that drove her mad as she imagined scenarios that couldn't be as bad as what had probably really happened.

When she had finally given up her restless activity, Allura had collapsed on the couch. The ceasing of her body's frantic movement, didn't put an end to her racing thoughts. She was beyond worried, and going out of her mind at being ignored. Where was Lotor? Where was Vorlac for that matter? What were they going to do with the priestess? Once Allura would have feared for the priestess' life. She could have laughed then, knowing that before breakfast, Allura would have still been positive the Drules would kill Alexandria for what she now knew.

Now she thought different. She worried, but did not fear the priestess suffering at their hands. She didn't know what the Drules would do though to fix the problem Allura had caused, but she was confidant it wouldn't end in Alexandria's blood being shed. These Drules were not Zarkon. They didn't enjoy hurting people, didn't want to make anyone suffer needlessly. She just thought it a pity that they weren't moved to do more than run away!

Allura let out an exaggerated sigh. She could admit to feeling a little discouraged. The plan with Alexandria had been foiled. It meant the Drules would be watching Allura more closely now. There would be little opportunity for an escape to succeed, for a message to be sent out to Arus. But Allura wasn't about to give up on trying. She'd either escape from here, or arrange for the Voltron Force to come to her rescue. She just didn't yet know how she'd pull off either choice!

There was another option. One whose chances of success seemed even smaller. If she could somehow convince Lotor to stop his running. Allura let out a scoffing sound, thinking it might be impossible at this point and time. He and the other Drule were running scared. They were so traumatized by their experiences, they blinded themselves to everything else. How could she convince them to do what was right for the galaxy? And if she persuaded Lotor to stand up and fight Zarkon, would even his commands be enough to rally these Drules into returning to Doom?

It was just one thing to consider. She didn't have to give up her schemes to plan her escape or rescue. Allura could work on warming Lotor to the idea of fighting against Zarkon. Of going to war, with the backing of all the worlds that belonged to the Galaxy Alliance. She was earnest in her desire to lead the charge inside Voltron, to bring the battle to Zarkon's own doorstep. Maybe through her own fervent desire, Lotor would be affected enough, moved enough to join her in the fight for everyone's freedom

It was going to take time though. Allura realized that. Allura couldn't say that she would be completely patient, as she tried to work over Lotor. His insistence that running away was the only option left to him and these Drules, was maddening. It frustrated her that they didn't seem to even consider that there could be another way. That they had given up so thoroughly. It was handing Zarkon a clear win if everyone thought like that. When good people gave up, that is when evil reigned supreme.

Allura was still thinking on how she was going to talk Lotor into seeing things her way, when she heard the lock being engaged. Allura was already standing up, her heart beating faster as she waited to see who it would be. Would it be Vorlac, the man still angry? Or Ryder come to gloat that her plot had failed? She hoped for neither man, wanting to see Lotor most of all.

She lucked out. The open doorway revealed the prince of Doom, his eyes holding a stern light to them as Lotor looked at Allura. She didn't stop from running towards him, almost breathless as she bit out several questionsin rapid succession. "What is happening? Where is Alexandria? What are you going to do with her?"

Lotor let the door fall close behind him before answering. "Ryder and Vorlac are dealing with the situation." His voice was terse, as though he was having to exert tight control over his emotions. It was enough to let her know Lotor was upset with what she had tried to do, but Allura didn't yet offer an apology.

"Dealing with it?" She said instead, frowning in response. "What does that mean?"

"It means you've complicated things needlessly." Lotor grit out. "Not just for you, but for me, and for all the Drule present on this planet."

"Are we going to be leaving then?" Allura wondered, a note of fear in her voice. Had she inadvertently caused Lotor to speed up his plan to move on to the next galaxy? Would they try to make the journey even while they were short on supplies?

"We're not leaving Simestia any time soon." Lotor clearly didn't mean for his words to be reassuring, but they had that effect on Allura regardless. She almost sighed in relief, thinking it best they remain in this place while she actively plotted.

"And the priestess?" She prodded him, needing to know what was going on with Alexandria.

"You two have left us with little choice." Lotor continued, but the words weren't as ominous as they once would have been to her. "The priestess refuses to be bought. There's little else we can do, but make her a permanent guest of ours for as long as we are on this world."

"A guest? You mean your captive." Allura corrected. "Lotor, will the Simestians really let you do this? I mean, considering their history with the Drules under Zarkon's command, why I'd not be surprise if they didn't storm the mansion to rescue Alexandria from your clutches."

"Fortunately they won't be aware of the fact that the priestess is not here willingly." Lotor replied.

Allura lifted a brow. "How are you going to hide that you're holding her prisoner?"

"Ryder's come up with a plan." A grim sort of smile from Lotor. "By the time he's through, everyone will believe it was the priestess own decision to remain among us for the duration of our stay."

"What, is he going to brainwash an entire city?" Allura couldn't help but be sarcastic.

"Gold is an effective tool for gaining the compliance of those in charge." Lotor retorted. "There's little people who aren't affected by greed."

"Alexandria wasn't." Allura pointed out, but she couldn't be smug about it. "You couldn't buy her silence."

He looked annoyed then. "You should never have involved her in this."

"I had to do something!" Allura retorted. "The galaxy needs me!" She softened her tone. "They need the both of us. They need every last man and woman willing to fight, to protect the peace of the Denubian. To stop Zarkon's reign of terror."

"Allura..." Lotor sighed then. "It's not that easy."

"I never said it would be!" Allura pointed out. "It will be difficult, and it will take work and time! We'll have to get the people of the many worlds to get over at least some of their prejudices. They'll have to put aside the fear and hate they've clung to for so long, and unite with us to bring the battle to Zarkon. To kill him!"

"Never thought I'd hear you actively advocate someone's death..." Lotor murmured.

"Never knew someone as evil and twisted as Zarkon." Allura told him. "I know I've only heard half the tales, but it's more than enough. We're no longer fighting just for the slaves, we're fighting to end the misery and suffering he has heaped on countless people. People that include your own. We're fighting so what happened to Oveious will never happen to anyone else. We're fighting so that Qualenn can do her job, and help ease the suffering of any who seek her skills as a nurse. So that Vorlac can get justice for what Zarkon did to his family! Don't you see Lotor? Everyone has their own tale, their own private anguish. Their own reason for wanting to fight! We can do no less than honor each other's suffering, by taking a stand against Zarkon." She shook her head then. "Not just take a stand. We move to win."

Lotor's look was a searching one. Allura did not shy away from his examination, letting her determination and resolve shine in her eyes. "This is the same spirit that let you pick yourself up from all the losses you and your people suffered." He breathed out. "The same drive that motivated you on Arus, moving you now to want to champion my people. To champion all the people of this galaxy."

"Yes!" She couldn't help that excited exclamation, reaching for Lotor's hands. "I believe we can do this. Working together we can end the threat of Zarkon in this lifetime."

"But...believing is not the same as knowing." She abruptly let go of his hands, disappointed in his response.

"We can't just wait around for a sure thing!" Allura practically growled at him. "In this life, nothing is certain."

"Nothing but death." Lotor told her.

"Do you fear dying? Is that it?" She asked him, giving her own searching look into Lotor's eyes. He didn't flinch, his own eyes sad.

"I don't fear my own life ending. It's never been about being scared of death. If anything, it's the thought of living...of enduring anymore at his hands." Lotor told her. "And not just me. To have to watch, and know he's hurting my friends, the people I care for? The people I've tried to protect...? It's unbearable. Just as unbearable as it would be if you ended up in Zarkon's hands."

"He's made you watch." She said this knowingly. He nodded. "Oh Lotor..." A sympathetic expression crossed her face. "I know what it's like to have to stand back and watch others be hurt while you could do nothing. It's happened again and again on Arus. It makes you feel helpless."

"That it does." He agreed. "It's worse when you blame yourself for what is happening."

Allura frowned. She didn't have much experience with blaming herself for what others did to another person. In fact the only time she had blamed herself, had been with that one soldier. It was a blame she felt she had earned the right to, Allura feeling if she had never ventured from the caves, she would have never ended up in that predicament.

"You can't blame yourself for what Zarkon does!" Allura exclaimed, though she was uneasy. Just that brief thought about the soldier, and she was bothered. She hadn't even ventured deep into the memory, and already it tried to overwhelm her with flashbacks.

"How can I not?" Lotor sounded as agitated as Allura was now feeling. "When with his every breath, he continues to remind me of how certain things keep happening because of my failures?"

She wondered what he meant by failures, though she didn't ask. Instead she reached up to cup his face in her hands, trying to keep him looking at her. "That's a classic tactic of abuse. Blaming the victim for the abuser's crimes."

"But...but he said..." Lotor was frowning, a pained look in his eyes. "If I had only let Arus be invaded, if only I had destroyed Voltron. If only I let him kill you...then he wouldn't have to punish me."

"Punish.." She repeat the word, shivering. It wasn't just that word that affected her, it was all of it. It painted a clearer picture of what Lotor had to have been through, though she still didn't know for sure the details. Just as Allura realized she might understand Lotor better, if she knew about the pain he struggled so hard to hide from her. "What did he do, Lotor? How did he hurt you?"

It was abrupt, Lotor stepping back from her, freeing himself of her hands' grip. His expression was losing all emotion, Lotor closing in on himself. Allura recognized what he was doing. And all because it was protective tactic she herself had done hundreds of times before.

"I know it's painful...it hurts, and it cuts you up from the inside out." Allura told him. "But you have to let it out. You have to talk about it, or you will never get over it."

"You're one to talk." Lotor said. "You want me to do what you yourself have refused to do."

"It's different." She had flinched at his pointed accusation, and now she flinched again when he raised his voice at her in a shout.

"It is not! It's the same damn thing! Someone hurt you, Allura. They hurt you real bad, to the point you have panic attacks! You think that's healthy? Whatever you're keeping bottled up inside you, it's trying to come out! It's manifesting itself in the only way it can..."

"Qualenn said you don't have panic attacks." Allura said, her voice quiet in comparison to Lotor's shouts. "But I think she's wrong. Zarkon hurt you. Hurt you enough that you're panicking in the only way you can. It's that panic that makes you run. It's that same panic that makes you think abandoning everything is the answer!" Allura took a deep breath. "We're both coping in different ways...but there is a key difference here. I am not running away!"

He glared at her now, Lotor unable to deny what she had said. Allura didn't return his glare, just staring at him. Her eyes were not quite sad, bordering somewhere on sympathetic. "We've been through a lot...I won't say you've suffered worse than me...but we have to come through that suffering, and move on. We don't let it define who we are!"

"Lotor." It took a lot of nerve to touch him when he was glaring so angrily at her. But touch him she did, Allura squeezing his hands gently. "We have to heal from our experiences. We have to become true survivors. You've endured so much, from the time you were a little boy, to even now judging by your words. But it's time to let go..."

"It's not that simple." His voice was hoarse now.

"I know." And she did, Allura struggling with her own past. With the trauma that even now filled her with fear. "But try. You'll be free when you do."

"Free." He said the word with a certain relish, for the moment looking like that is what he wanted most of all.

She smiled encouragingly at him. "You won't want to run anymore. From the memories, from the fear. Not even from your responsibilities. We'll be able to go back."

"Go back?" Lotor's voice came out sharp, Allura realizing her mistake. It was too soon. Too soon for Lotor to even think of returning to Doom. She could see by the way the emotion leeched out of his expression, that a wall had come up between them. "I am never going back there." He pulled his hands from hers, Allura crying out.

"Lotor!"

"No!" He was turning his back to her, Allura grabbing him by the arm. "This is just another one of your tricks. One I won't fall for."

"It's not a trick!" She was indignant, pulling on his arm. "I truly believe it's possible to heal! And through that healing, we have to help the others. Otherwise you are not only letting Zarkon win, you are letting him break you!"

"I am not broken!" He roared, jerking away from her.

"If you're not yet, then you're close!" Allura cried, as Lotor whirled around to glare at her. "You'll be the same as your mother. So desperate to get away, that throwing your life away looks like the only option."

He had gone still as a statue. "What...what did you...how do you know about that?"

She flushed guilty. "I...I found out about it today."

"From who?" He demanded angrily. "Who would tell you that? Who would even know!"

Allura was confused, watching how agitated Lotor was becoming. "It was Alexandria."

"The priestess?" He gasped. "Why would she know about that? There's no way she could have been alive during that time!"

"She may not have been alive then, but there are people who were! And they remember Lotor." Allura told him. "They still talk about it. The Simestians still remember Zarkon's evil. It's probably those memories that keep them from rebelling."

Lotor was shaking his head, angry, almost irritable. "That wasn't her story to tell! She had no right. No right at all!"

"She didn't know you were the little boy in the stories." Allura told him. "She probably thought Zarkon had killed him by now. Lotor...I can't begin to imagine what that experience was like. The fear you must have felt as your mother forced you out the window with her."

"She just wanted the pain to end." Lotor whispered. "But she didn't want to leave me behind in the care of that monster. She wanted to protect me. She was trying to protect me when she pushed me out the window." He closed his eyes then. "That was her only option. The only thing she could do. She was powerless...little more than a glorified slave." He locked eyes with Allura. "Just because she was Zarkon's obsession didn't mean she was safe from his cruelties. If anything it only pulled his attention to her more."

She shivered in response. "Why would you even come back to this place? To this building who holds so many terrible memories."

"There was no where else we could go that would guarantee we could hide from Zarkon." Lotor sighed. "We needed a place to rest, a place to get the ships ready for the rest of our journey. Simestia was never meant to be more than a brief stop." He shrugged then, giving her a sickly smile. "I thought I could handle the memories. Thought I could handle being in this building."

"And can you?" Allura asked, and received another shrug.

"It's harder than I thought." Lotor admitted. "It feels as if every room has a memory attached to it. None of them good. But it helps being here with friends. Their laughter chases away the demons of my past."

"Do they know what happened here?" Allura recalled his earlier words, how he had wondered how anyone would know about what had gone on in this mansion.

"No. They were all too young when this was happening." He explained. "Too young to be part of the military that came with Zarkon on his vacations. Hell, they like so many of the galaxy, didn't even know about Simestia until I brought their attention to this world."

"So you have been enduring these memories all on your own?" Allura felt sad then, and even more so when he nodded. "I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to."

"It's fine." He quickly assured her. "They have enough to deal with, without my past being brought to their attention." A faint smile, one that was pure sadness. "I think we'd all go insane, if we knew the extent of each other's private sufferings."

"Why do I get the feeling, that in some ways you suffered more then them?" Allura asked, and reached out for him when he tried to turn away. "Lotor...if ever you are willing...if ever you decide it gets too much for you. You can talk to me."

"Why would you make that offer to me?" He seemed puzzled, which made her confused.

"Why wouldn't I?" Allura asked him. "You made a similar offer to me..."

"Yes, but..."

"But what?" She demanded.

"It's different, because I love you." It was stated as simple fact, and yet it was so heartfelt on his part. Her cheeks grew warm, Allura blinking repeatedly. "I know you don't love me." He added sadly. "You're not ready to. But in time..."

She wanted to tell him not to get his hopes up, that she could never love a man who wouldn't fight with her against Zarkon. But she didn't want to give him so crushing a rejection. Especially not now, when he seemed so vulnerable. It was wrong of her, but Allura kept quiet, allowing him to believe that she also believed that time could bring that love to blossom in her heart.

"I don't have to be in love with you, to care." Allura eventually said. "My offer remains."

He was suddenly raising her hand to his lips, Lotor pressing kisses over her knuckles. "Thank you." His eyes never strayed from her face, Allura blushing harder. It was an odd, emotional conversation they had just had. The talk running all over the place, delving into dark corners, and touching upon several things. It had to have been as draining for him, as it had been for Allura. Certainly Lotor had lost any anger and disappointment he had felt over her attempts to get rescued via the priestess. Allura didn't think this meant this was the last she would hear about it, but for now Lotor was content to just hold her hand rather than admonish her. Allura was surprised to realize she was fine with that too.

Hoo boy...this chapter went NOTHING like I wanted. I thought they were gonna argue and go to bed mad. But the conversation ended up so different. I also wanted more about Lotor's mother, and it was hard enough to ease into what they did say about her and a young Lotor. I also worry this chapter reads confusing, but that might be me being paranoid...

It was a draining chapter to write too...X_X I am very much looking forward to 25, which is a Ryder POV! So much fun it should be! *knocks on wood*

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Vanessa Masters, thank you! Glad you like the fic and the moments between Ryder and Alexandria! :)

Charles McCoy, thanks! I hope I can surprise you with just how what happened to Allura happened. (In other words, how far or how far it didn't go.) I have the story in my head, just haven't gotten to the point where it gets revealed. Though Allura's thoughts strongly leads the readers towards guessing I think! I hope...Thanks for not spoiling it for the others who might check out the review section. :) Yes, this is a rather AU version of the characters...sometimes I need a break from a more bad Lotor! XD As for the scar issue, I'm not sure how it will go down...I kept thinking up scenes, but the story keeps evolving from my notes, so sometimes I have to modify or even trash those scene in a mad scramble to keep things going. I'm a little ahead of what you've read (And sadly not getting any further do to all the medical problems real life has been throwing at me. -_-) but from where I am that I've written, Allura learns a lot about what Lotor has been through albeit not from Lotor himself. He's being as stubborn as she, about keeping quiet about past abuse and trauma. Heck, seems everyone is, since no one wants to really open up to their love interest that much so far! *eyeballs Ryder and HIS baggage.* It seems like everyone here, not just Allura and the Drules have some kind of baggage that ties into Zarkon and/or the Drules. Even the Voltron Force might...but I better shut up before I veer into complete spoilers! Thanks again!

Wade Wells, it's okay about being MIA. I've sorta been MIA too...but only cause of real life medical problems. I'm only able to keep updating cause I wrote stuff further than what was posted here...I need to get comfy, and try and write some more! Glad you're liking Mara and her interest in Keith! (Which will only get worse...she is a Drule, and they do seem to have things for humans and humanoids! XD) Actually I think chapters 26 and 27 (two in a row!) are the next Mara chapters. No need to bow...man I was worried over that cannibal thing Zarkon tried to make the dead doctor do...glad it didn't freak you out too badly! I've been trying to set up how sick, depraved, evil (even more so than usual!) this Zarkon is! Wait till you hear more about what went on in Ryder's back story, and Lotor's days at the Drule Military Academy! The poor guys...-_-


	25. Chapter 25

The gates gleamed, their mirror surface polished and clean. Ryder idly wondered just who among the Drule had had the spare time to tend to it's cleaning, especially when there was still so many unkempt rooms inside the mansion. They weren't trying to completely restore the mansion, but they were trying to make as many of the rooms as livable as possible. The work extended to the cottages. There simply wasn't enough spare bedrooms inside the mansion, to comfortably house the large group that had come to Simestia.

Not many of the Drule had been off the property. That included Ryder, who was about to get his first true look at the people in the capital. Of course, there had been the drive to the mansion, the day they had arrived on the planet. But back then, Ryder had been busy. He had spent much of the drive, with his portable out, eyes glued to the computer screen. He regretted that now, for the frivolous use he had made of his computer had helped to drain the life of the battery of the portable. But then he hadn't yet known the situation on the estate's grounds. The one where many of the wires had been damaged, gnawed on to the point they had split apart.

Ryder couldn't say he was looking forward to seeing the city. Not given what he had to do. As the gates opened to let the cruiser drive through them, Ryder did a side long glance at the two sitting besides him. Against the opposite window sat Vorlac, the silver eyed Drule looking bored at the moment. That boredom wouldn't keep him from noticing things, the man paying a closer attention to the woman who sat between him and Ryder.

Ryder tried not to look at her. But even if his eyes had been blind to her beauty, his other senses would be aware of her. His nose picked up her fresh, clean scent. She wore no perfumes, being a woman bold enough to flaunt her own natural scent. He thought he could pick up the faintest scent of soap, but other than that she had no identifiable smell associated with her.

When they had first gotten into the cruiser, Ryder's nostrils had flared several times. He had been unconsciously trying to figure out just what she smelled like, the soap so faint it teased him but never gave up it's true nature. Best he could figure out, it had had a flower crushed into it at some point.

It wasn't just her scent he was aware of. Ryder was conscious of her body, her overly pleasing softness pressing against the side of his arm. She hadn't wanted to sit next to him, anymore than Alexandria had wanted to sit squeezed between the two men. Ryder wasn't exactly happy with the situation, on edge from more than the fact that Vorlac kept accidentally brushing up against Alexandria's other side.

Ryder kept himself as rigid and still as Alexandria. Save for their breathing, they could have been mistaken for statues in the moment. The warmth of where her body touched against his, burned him with awareness. It was as though they were both naked, with more than just their bare skin pressing against one another, given the effect this touch was having on Ryder.

He was half aroused just from the priestess' close proximity to him. He wanted to growl, to snarl and rage with sexual frustration. Masturbating had done NOTHING to take the edge off the lust he felt for the priestess. If anything, it had only exacerbated the problem, Ryder feeling unsatisfied and restless. If he had to think of an example, he felt as though he was a teenager again, reaching sexual awakening as his body matured for the first time.

It was making him cranky. He hadn't enjoyed the raging boners he had suffered from as a boy. He preferred having control over his body, over his desires. With Alexandria around, he had none of it, even his thoughts were not completely his own. He kept right on thinking she was some sort of witch, even as he stared at the faint reflection of her on the window next to him.

It wasn't a true mirrored surface. It was clear enough to let them see and be seen. Ryder stared through the window, at first not really noticing the sights as the cruiser drove through the city streets. His eyes would pass over the humans walking about, but he didn't really see them. He just kept thinking about Alexandria, and about how much he despised the effect she had on him.

It wasn't until they passed by what had to be the seventh intersection, that Ryder came to a jarring realization. He didn't quite gasp, turning his head quickly. He got a sense of Vorlac's amused expression, but Ryder was looking at Alexandria's ears.

"So you finally noticed." Vorlac said, and Ryder brought his gaze upwards to frown at him. "Yeah, it took me by surprise too when I came into the city this morning."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, but by Vorlac's grin he knew the man had wanted Ryder to feel the same shock he had felt. And he was shocked, for every person they had passed, had had some sort of Drule feature to their appearance. From ears like the priestess, to the gold and silver eyes that were so reminiscent of a feline's. Even some of the people coloring had been affected, the faintest tinge of blue or green or purple to their skin. The skin coloring was so faint, Ryder had first thought he had imagined it, or assumed it was a trick of the light. But there were to many Simestians walking around with Drule pigmentation faintly coloring their skin.

The shifting of the priestess besides him, drew both men's attention to her. She was trying to look out the window, curious as to what they had seen. She'd frown when all she saw were people and buildings long familiar to her.

"Just how thoroughly have the Drule mingled with your people?" Ryder asked her, his voice gruff and demanding. That emerald gaze was lifted towards him, Alexandria not misunderstanding what he was getting at.

"The Drule have affected our every way of life. From our culture, to our religious beliefs, to the blood running in our veins." She told him this quite calmly. She was not mad, just accepting about how the Simestians had evolved.

"It's been about fifty years since Zarkon first came to Simestia." Vorlac stated. "That makes you what? Third generation Drule?"

"Fourth actually." He saw the green of her eyes turn a darker shade, the color signaling her upset. "My great grandmother was only fourteen when she was raped by a soldier."

"Damn." Vorlac said. "I'm sorry."

"You were not the Drule that hurt her." Alexandria said in response. "I cannot hate an entire race for the crimes of the Drules that came before them."

"Then you're different from most in the Denubian Galaxy." Ryder told her. "Most do not hesitated to hate every last one of us."

"They fear, and are ignorant." She replied. "Princess Allura herself once made that mistake."

Ryder still didn't believe that Allura had so thoroughly changed her thoughts and feelings about the Drule. He found it just as hard to believe that she was ready to play champion to the people of Doom, that she wanted to kill Zarkon to free everyone from his cruelty, not just the humans.

"Please." An earnest expression on her face. "You must allow me to make that call for her. It is for the sake of all people everywhere, that she must be free to return to her world. To gather the forces needed to take down Zarkon."

She, like Lotor and Allura, didn't know the Drules were working on just that. Alexandria had no idea of the plotting that was going on, the careful managing the Drules were attempting to do. That included trying to get Lotor healed to a place where he could lead the Drule into battle against Zarkon. A battle that if he won, would end with Lotor on the throne, rebuilding the foundations of their society into something better.

But the timing wasn't right. Haggar didn't even have the start of an army ready for Lotor to take command of. They had little save for the money from Lotor's own private fortune, Haggar needing to make alliances and obtain financial backing to outfit the Drule warriors. Weapons, armor, ships, they all had to be purchased. If the few nobles that did NOT tolerate Zarkon's cruel antics, could be persuaded to back Lotor, their own private armies would do much to help bolster soldier numbers.

Ryder could respect the ideas of Allura's. But he didn't think it was possible to get any let alone half the Alliance planets to back the Drules attempt at rebellion. The prejudice was too strong against the Drules, too many would be happy to see the entire race exterminated. To Ryder it felt like the Drules were really on their own, and all because their people were a friendless race, enemies of both free worlds and enslaved ones.

The priestess was still waiting for his response, patient as he let his thoughts run his course. He would disappoint her, shaking his head no. "No can do. Allura's not going anywhere, and neither are you."

She didn't quite glare, her eyes turning to emerald flames. But she wasn't anywhere as angry as when he had stuck his hand down the bodice of her dress. Ryder quickly looked away from her, biting down on his lip to hold in a moan. A surge of pure heat had gone through him, Ryder remembering how he had touched her breasts. His hands flexed in the fondling motion he had wanted to do on her. He tasted blood in his mouth, having bit down that hard to control his voice.

It was ridiculous. He had not only seen beautiful women before, he had bedded them. Both human and Drule. He was an incorrigible flirt, a charmer who with a word and a certain look could make the panties fly off even the most prudish of women. And yet this mere slip of a girl, had him turned inside out, his cock raging out of control with a need stronger than it had ever needed before.

Once again he wondered if she had some witch in her. Not many human races were capable of wielding the magical energies that existed in the universe. But the Drule could, and she had Drule blood running through her veins. She wasn't even a halfing, her blood diluted by four generations. And yet the mark of the Drule was upon her, manifesting itself in the shaping of her ears.

He wondered if her ears were as sensitive as a Drule's. Just as quickly as he had that thought, the urge to lick them came over him. Visions played in his head, Alexandria squirming on his lap, as Ryder held her trapped. His hands would touch nowhere near her erogenous zones, his mouth working over one of her ears being enough to make the priestess moan. He nearly moaned then too, imagining how she would squeal when he took the pointed tip of her ear and sucked it gently between his lips.

To a Drule, the ears were sensitive much like a woman's breasts, or a man's cock. They couldn't climax from ear play alone, but it was a highly erotic feeling to have one's lover pay attention to one's ears. Humans missed out on much with their short ears, that held so few nerve endings. Ryder could admit to being intrigued by the thought of a mostly human hybrid being able to know that pleasure.

"So...when you say the Drule affected your culture, that's mean what exactly?" Vorlac was asking. Ryder tried to come out of his lustful haze, keeping his attention on the window rather than looking at Alexandria.

"Just about everything has been influenced by Zarkon's taste. From the clothing, the money printed, to the foods we eat. Even the Gods we believe in, were cast out in favor of the Drule ones." Alexandria explained. "There's few things that remain our own..."

"And yet you still take confession..." Vorlac noted.

"Much as Zarkon tried, he wasn't able to completely abolish all aspects of our religion." She was looking at Vorlac, and Ryder found that irrational surge of jealousy coming upon him. He couldn't stand it when she looked away from him, and it was doubly worse to have her looking at another man. Even if that man was a good friend of his!

He wasn't able to do much more than growl, seeing in the reflection of the window how Vorlac's eyes widened at the sound. The priestess turned his way too, the angry growl making her nervous. At the moment, his tongue wouldn't work to properly say anything. Not that Ryder was going to announce he was getting upset that Alexandria had turned her attention briefly on Vorlac.

"Sure would have been useful if Lotor had told us some of this." Vorlac finally said.

"Perhaps he did not know." Reasoned Alexandria. "He was just a little boy according to the stories of the last time Zarkon brought his family to Simestia."

Ryder was surprised, a reaction Vorlac echoed. "Hold on. Lotor was here on Simestia? When?"

"I don't know the exact dates." She sounded apologetic. "According to the stories, Zarkon's son could not be more than five, maybe seven years of age at that time."

Ryder had turned, his expression grim as he looked at Vorlac. "Why do I get a bad feeling about this?" The silver eyed Drule asked.

"Lotor let us believe he only KNEW about this planet from hearing his mother speak about it." Ryder said. "I don't like this though. I don't like that Zarkon could have been to this planet as recent as nineteen years ago."

"That's still a long time..." Vorlac pointed out. "He's pretty much abandoned the world, save for the tax he collects from the people. I'm sure he won't even think to come here, let alone get suspicious that the missing group of Drules could end up on this particular planet."

Ryder was scowling. "Still don't like it."

"You think we should leave?"

"Yes...no..." Ryder shrugged. "It's not like we have many choices on where we could go."

"You could go to Arus." The priestess suggested with such innocence it had to be faked.

"That is not an option." Ryder snapped at her. She just blinked at him, looking a bit disgruntled by the way he had responded. He told himself he did not feel bad, Ryder turning to look out the window as the cruiser began to slow down. "Is that it?" He asked, nodding at a large building that took up most of the street.

"Yes." Alexandria said. "That is Masia Temple."

"That's a Drule name." Pointed out Vorlac. No one responded, Ryder looking at the building. It didn't look like a Drule temple. At least that much hadn't been changed. Instead of the black onyx with bold red accents, the building was made a white marble, that had faux gold glinting on the windows. Steps almost as wide as the building led down to where the cruiser was parking. There was some people sitting on the steps, but they didn't look like they belong to the temple. Ryder assumed they were worshippers, and not temple personnel.

Ryder didn't immediately open the side door of the cruiser. Instead he locked eyes on Alexandria, letting his gaze pin her in place on the seat. "You are not to offer any information." He spoke harshly to let her know he would not tolerate any defiance in this matter. "Certainly you will not reveal that Prince Lotor has returned to the planet, and the Princess of Arus is with him."

"Just let us do the talking." Vorlac ordered in a kinder tone. "It'll go better for everyone if you don't kick up a fuss."

"I do not believe you will hurt anyone." Alexandria insisted softly.

"You shouldn't assume the best about everyone you meet." Ryder advised. "We're going to great lengths to rid ourselves of Zarkon. If you think we're going to let a few of the locals jeopardize our plans..." He let his words trail off, the unspoken threat ominous without being voiced.

"Then why haven't you killed me already?" Alexandria asked.

"We're not completely heartless." He told her. "We want to avoid bloodshed if we can. But believe me, if you put our backs up to the wall, we'll come out swinging."

"That's right!" Vorlac was enthusiastic. "We're willing to fight, to die for what we're trying to do. Can you people say the same?"

By her silence, it was obvious she could not. Ryder stared at her a moment longer, angry gaze working to intimidate her further. She stared back, her green eyes troubled. He didn't think she was affected by the looks he was giving her. She was more worried by what he and Vorlac had said.

"Let's do this before it gets dark." Vorlac urged, Ryder moving to open the cruiser door. He stepped out, and though he wanted to grab hold of Alexandria, he knew the people would become suspicious of that touch. It took immense restraint to just walk with her besides him, Vorlac trailing several inches behind them. The people on the steps recognized Alexandria, hurrying to stand and greet the priestess. Ryder tensed besides her, but Alexandria only smiled and nodded the greeting back.

The people were content with this, allowing the trio to continue up the stairs. There was two temple guards in front of the open doors. They barely reacted to the sight of Alexandria's being accompanied by two Drules, one gesturing to them permission to go on and enter the temple.

It was quiet inside, hinting that whatever ceremonies and mass they might hold, it was not yet time for the congregation to gather. Ryder didn't look around much, his senses attuned more to the woman walking besides him. But he heard Vorlac whisper out names, the Drule recognizing the Gods and Goddess whose statues line the hall they walked down.

Another priestess approached. When she attempted to speak to Alexandria in the Simestians' language, both Drules tensed. One of the things they had earlier made clear to Alexandria was that she was not to speak in anything but Drule or Basic. This was the first test, to see if she would respect that command.

"Yes, I am back Terenga." Alexandria forced a smile. She was speaking in Drule, but Ryder couldn't relax. "But only for a short while."

"What?" This Teranga frowned, eyes darting nervously at the Drule males. "You can't possibly leave. We're already stretched thin preparing for the rituals for the upcoming festival."

"I..."

"Are you her superior?" Ryder interrupted. Teranga looked startled to be spoken to in so rude a manner. She wordlessly shook her head no, and Ryder felt a smug satisfaction. "Then she needn't explain herself to you."

"But..." Teranga opened her mouth to protest, but Alexandria quickly interrupted her.

"Is the High Priest Philomart in his office?"

"Yes. I believe he wanted to dedicate some time to preparing his speech." Explained Teranga. She glanced nervously at Ryder. "He said not to disturb him unless it was important."

"It's important." Ryder stated. The girl's eyes hadn't lost her frightened look.

"We won't bother him for long." Alexandria promised in a reassuring manner. Teranga nodded, and made excuses as to why she couldn't accompany them to the high priest's office. It didn't matter, Alexandria knew the way. She'd actually pause to chastise Ryder, an admonishing look in her eyes. "You will never ease the galaxy's fear of the Drules, if that is how you choose to behave."

"What's wrong with my behavior?" Ryder demanded, though he knew exactly what she referred to.

"You were rude, and you purposefully set out to frighten and intimidate Teranga!" snapped Alexandria.

"I got to admit, she's right." Vorlac spoke up, which earned him a glare from Ryder.

"We did not come here to make friends." Ryder reminded him.

"I know." Vorlac sighed. "But might be nice not to be so hated for once."

"Be patient." Ryder said without conviction. "Once Zarkon is dead, maybe then we can work on forging friendships with the humans."

"Hope I live that long." The silver eyed Drule murmured. He was at least ten years older than Ryder, old enough to have had two small children with his wife. His family was gone now, but Vorlac wasn't yet that old. Certainly there might be a chance for him to see the Drules recover and make friends with other worlds.

"Don't talk like that." Ryder said in a softer tone. "You're not so old that it's not possible for you to see such things in your lifetime."

"True. But I also know Zarkon has been terrorizing the galaxy for fifty something years. It's been decades of damage, people spending that time learning to hate and fear us." Vorlac sighed. "Look at how some of the people here look at us. With open suspicion. Not all of them are like you, priestess. They haven't let go of the hate of what Zarkon did all those years ago."

"Too many people give power to the memories of what happened in the past." Is what Alexandria said in response.

"Don't I know it." Vorlac muttered. Ryder knew all the Drules understood that. They all had some kind of past they were doing their best to overcome, maybe even forget about. Some like Lotor, struggled harder than others with that.

Alexandria stopped in front of a door, knocking three times. An annoyed sounding voice called out. "May we come in?" Alexandria said in Drule. The voice answer again in Simestian. "Yes, I am with two of the visitors."

A curt word was given, and then Alexandria was pushing the door open. A middle aged human was standing before a simple desk, papers spread out over it's top. His hair was just beginning to gray, giving him a salt and pepper look. He looked human except for his eyes, which were a fierce orange gold slitted in the middle with black. His skin was a caramel shade, standing out in stark contrast against his white and gold robes. The fashion of the robes he wore, resembles the style King Zarkon preferred. But this human wore them better, the fabric not anywhere as loose and baggy as Zarkon's manner of dress.

"High Priest Philomart...you remember Vorlac." Alexandria said, and the man nodded. "And this is Ryder."

He nodded his greetings to the priest, but before he could say anything, Philomart was speaking.

"Thank you for bringing her back. But you needn't have come all the way just to say hello to me."

"We have business beyond a simple greeting." Ryder told him.

"Oh?" The Simestian was curious. "Was everything not satisfactory with my priestess' service?"

Ryder bristled with possessive anger, not liking how the priest had said Alexandria was his. "Everything was fine." He forced a smile on his face, which was a strained effort at best. "More than fine in fact. We enjoyed her presence so much, we would like to extend an invitation for the priestess to remain among us. In an official capacity of course."

High Priest Philomart looked shocked. "You what?"

"There are many among us." Ryder explained. "Many who would take comfort of having a representative of the temple there to heal them, take confession, even performed mass for them."

"They are welcome at the temple..." Philomart began.

"Some of my people are too...sickly to be able to make the visits here. They are bed bound, but would offer immense gratitude to you and your temple if you allowed them this small kindness."

"It's not that I would object to helping them in this manner." The High Priest said. "But this is a busy time for us. An important holy day is nearing, and I need every hand available to help me prepare for the rituals."

"We would make it worth your while." Ryder said. He gestured, and Vorlac stepped forward, several heavy bags dangling from his hands. "It is not much..." That was a lie, Ryder offering the priest the fifty-thousand Alexandria had said she would not be silent for.

"You mean to buy her services?" The priest didn't seem pleased. If anything he was aghast, even though he hadn't yet seen the money.

"Think of it as a donation, your grace.' Vorlac suggested, tearing open the ties to one of the bags. Immediately gold coins spilled out onto the desk, the priest gasping. He was shocked, but couldn't take his eyes off the gold.

"There's much we can do with this." Philomart murmured, hands digging into the spread out pile that Vorlac was still adding too. "Many people we can help."

"Then it's agreed?" Ryder asked, sure it would be a definite yes. He was surprised though when Philomart hesitated.

"Alexendria...what say you?"

"Me?" She hesitated long enough, that Ryder wanted to pinch her. But he could do nothing, not even growl or give her a mean look without alerting the priest that something was wrong.

"Do you want to stay with the Drules?" He asked, the priest sounding impatient now.

Another long hesitation, before her shoulders sag. "I would take it as my sacred duty to help those in need."

"Then it's a yes?" Ryder asked sharply.

"I'll have to pack a bag though." She said, and started inching towards the door. "If you will excuse me, I will be right back."

"I'll go with you." Ryder wasn't about to let her go alone.

"That's highly inappropriate don't you think?" Her eyes flashed defiant, as more gold coins clattered on the desk. The priest wasn't even paying attention, one hand waving Ryder and Alexandria to leave. Ryder smirked, and all but pushed Alexandria out into the hall. She waited until the door closed, before she exploded in outrage. "Is there no end to your lies and your manipulations?" She was shaking, absolutely livid with him.

"I do what I must, to protect my prince and my people." He retorted. "Now get moving." Ryder ordered, gesturing her to lead him to her room. She glared at him a moment longer, and then with an angry huff of sound, turned away. Ryder moved when Alexandria did, feeling the eyes of many curious temple personnel on them as they walked deeper into the building.

They would end up on the second floor, in a part of the temple where few outsiders were ever allowed the privilege of seeing. Alexandria did not talk to him, her body stiff, her movements practically making her stalk forward. He didn't think she was that angry about the way he had lied. No, Ryder thought Alexandria was upset that he had thwarted her attempt to leave without him. As if he would ever be fool enough to let her wander off and tell someone else what was really going on back at the mansion.

She opened a door to a very small bedroom. The bed was barely big enough for one person, and it only had one pillow. It hardly looked comfortable, in fact the whole room felt that way, as though it was nothing more than a cell. Alexandria had clearly tried to make the room feel like a home though. There were feminine touches, flowers on the window sill, and embroider curtains over the shutters.

A shelf to the right of the bed, held several books in between vases. There were no flowers in the vases, but some kind of dried herbs. Medicinal from the smell of it. Ryder lifted a questioning brow. "You're an herbalist?"

"I have some minimal skill with healing the body and not just the soul." She answered in a voice that was still angry.

"Guess it comes in handy, for a priestess to be able to tend to the sick." Ryder murmured, then walked over to her closet. He found a large satchel on the floor of it, a pair of slippers and another set of sandals laying besides it. He grabbed them, stuffing them into the satchel. Ryder then reached for the gowns that hung on the rack, tossing them at Alexendra. "Get busy folding"

He saw her glare, and then he was walking over to the dresser across from the bed. He began pulling open the drawers, ready to grab any clothing he could find. Only to get a most unexpected surprise, Ryder staring down at what was revealed. It was her underwear draw, a pile of panties just sitting there. They were plain in appearance, no bows, no frills. They weren't even silk, but made of some kind of cotton. They shouldn't have even stirred his imagination, but suddenly Ryder was sweating. Envisioning the priestess with nothing on but a pair of these plain white panties.

She didn't know what he was doing. She couldn't, because Alexandria would have stopped him otherwise. Ryder reached for the top of the pile, his hands trembling badly. His fingers lifted up one of the panties, and his vision went black temporarily. All because he saw that they weren't as simple as he had first thought, having string side ties that could easily come undone from vigorous motion. Even worse, the vision of a panty clad Alexandria called to him, Ryder imagining taking hold of the strings. Of slicing through them with his claws, so that the panty fluttered apart in two halves, leaving the priestess revealed.

"Sweet mother of God." Ryder moaned before he could stop himself. It was official. He was truly going out of his mind if a pair of panties could affect him so. The panties were crushed in his grip at the sound of her voice, Alexandria sounding shocked.

"What do you think you're doing?"

He couldn't look at her. Nor was he aware of how long he had been standing there, her panties clutched in his hands.

"Don't touch those!" Alexandria said, trying to reach for the flimsy panty. Ryder avoided her reaching hand out of sheer desperation, knowing he'd do something they'd both regret if he allowed her to complete the touch. As it was, he wanted to growl at her in a predatory, possessive manner, intent on keeping the pair of panties in his hands. It was a ridiculous impulse, almost as upsetting as the fact that his body was screaming for him to pin her to that far too small bed, and kiss her.

"Hurry up." He half grumbled, half growled. She was still protesting, as he violently yanked out the whole drawer from the dresser. He'd then turn it upside down over the satchel, letting the pile of panties fall into it. He'd add her folded up gowns to the contents, Alexandria handing him a robe she had got out of one of the other drawers. No more words were exchanged, the two all both ignoring each other as Ryder lifting up the now heavy satchel. She preceded him out the door, hair and skirts bouncing wildly with her agitation. Ryder was no less agitated, and not even the fact that he had somehow manage to pocket a pair of Alexandria's panties without her noticing, could calm him. Not when Ryder was wondering how he was going to endure living in the same building with her for even one day, let alone the weeks and months they might spend on this planet.

I have mixed feelings about this chapter...I feel I messed some things up. I like it right until they leave the cruiser. Then I think it gets stupid or something. Still had fun with his reaction to the panties. XD Now I have to figure out my Mara chapter, oh joy. X_X

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Elena, thank you! I'm glad if you enjoyed my story! And don't worry, it's far from over! Yes, Lotor is a bit nicer/kinder in this story than in some of my other ones. It's a bit of an AU, and I have fun reinventing the scenarios for these characters. XD


	26. Chapter 26

The space port was one of the largest on the planet, it's size befitting what was the capital city of Kirentya. The sprawling land of concrete extended for miles in every direction, ships from all manner of worlds standing rested on the ground. She saw makes and models of over a hundred different ships, many of them being civilian class. That didn't mean there wasn't military issued ships as well. Mara could make out several command ships, amidst the carriers that held a multitude of small fighter craft. There were large ships known as Destroyers, whose sole role was to attack. Just as there were Defenders, who were generally the last line of defense for a planet.

Nearly all the ships present, from the military craft, to the pleasure yachts, all bore the crest of the Alliance. They might be from different worlds, might each serve a different purpose, but all were from planets that belonged to the Alliance. Mara knew somewhere in the space port, there were ships without the Alliance crest. Ships that belonged to the planets that had hoped to be admitted to the Alliance. They weren't going to get their wish fulfilled. Even if the Drule hadn't come to Kirentya, the Alliance would have still refused them.

Mara wasn't surprised. The Alliance and Garrison were like any other powerful organization. Ruled by money, they were greedy for more of it. It was a sad reality, but money really did keep the universe going. It paid for ships, for soldiers, for the technology used to improve worlds. Without it, things didn't happen. Just as some worlds pushed to conquer others in order to increase their riches, the Alliance needed money to pay for the resources used to defend it's members.

Mara understood this well, though the princess she was impersonating did not. Princess Allura of Arus believed in helping people, in giving of oneself, even if that meant giving what you no longer had to give up. Kirentya had surely been a frustrating experience for the princess, Allura being exposed first hand to how callously the Alliance could turn their back on those in need. Mara didn't think of the Alliance as evil, just practical, and wondered how their actions fit in Allura's world of black and white.

One of the things Mara had quickly learned was that Allura thought in absolutes. That middle ground and gray areas didn't exist. She wondered how Allura handled being around people like General Grants, a man Mara couldn't categorize as wholly evil or wholly good.

Allura surrounded herself with good people. Mara could reluctantly admit that Nanny was a good person, even if the woman was racist when it came to the Drules. It was a sad fact that many of the people around Allura had similar viewpoints, never believing, never even considering that not all the Drule were bad. Not all were as blatant in their dislike of the Drule. Some actually managed to keep from making many snide comments, though every time they did say something, it usually betrayed how ignorant they were about the Drule.

Being ignorant about the Drule's situation on Doom was nothing new. Mara just wished she could speak up on her people's suffering. But Allura of Arus wouldn't know. It would be suspect if she started advocating for the Drules with no known reason for it. It was a shame, Mara knowing as Allura she could have stood a real chance to change people's mind about the Drules.

Sometimes Mara wondered if she couldn't somehow force a discovery about the true nature of the situation on Doom. But she didn't know how to accomplish that without risking her cover. Right now, she had to content herself with what she COULD do, Mara glad she had been able to arrange for the handing over of the dead Drule to representatives of the Doom Empire.

It was why she had come to the space port this day. And not just Mara! Keith and the Voltron Force were present, as well as the despised General Grants. They weren't foolish enough to present such a small group to the Drules. If anything the space port was crawling with soldiers, both Galaxy Garrison trained, and that of the Kirentya military.

Of course, not all of the soldiers had been called to the space port. A small contingent remained behind at the embassy, where the world leaders anxiously waited for the Drule armada to leave this planet. Those world leaders each had their own private escort of guards they had brought with them from their home worlds. Mara thought it was incredibly foolish to have the world leaders all in the same building. Why if something went wrong during this meeting, the Drules could attack the embassy. With a few careful shots, they could bring down the entire building on the visiting world leaders.

Of course General Grants thought he knew what he was doing. He thought the world leaders would be safe inside the embassy. Mara thought him a fool, and a lucky one at that. Haggar didn't want any trouble. The witch simply wanted to gather the dead, and take care of the fake Lotor's body. But if Zarkon had been present on this planet, Mara was pretty damn sure there would have been no peaceful resolution to the situation.

Mara was almost amused, thinking to herself how the people here didn't even realize how grateful they should be to have Haggar around. With Lotor considered dead, the witch had taken command of the armada. It was Haggar who had agreed to the conditions Mara as Allura had negotiated.

The handing over of the dead Drules would not only ease Mara's worry that Lotor's body would be discovered as a fake, but offered a rare opportunity. One that would perhaps show the rest of the Galaxy a softer side to the Drule. She didn't think to hope they would be impressed that the Drule cared enough about their dead to want to honor them with proper burial rights, but maybe, just maybe they would like how peacefully the Drules had negotiated for those bodies.

The space port had been closed to all civilians. It wasn't as inconvenient as it might have been, considering that not many would willingly come near this place now

that they knew the Drule were set to arrive. There were no curious onlookers at the fence, no one trying to sneak past the barricades. Even the news crews that had been allowed in to film this moment, hadn't wanted to be here. The fear of the Drules overrode any desire to get a good sound bite.

The reporters weren't even trying to badger the Voltron Force. The four male pilots were amused, liking the break from what was normally an invasive barrage of questions. Mara herself was relieved, not wanting to be questioned anymore than the others had wanted. Her relief showed, but it was apparently something normal of Allura, Keith smiling at Mara.

"Enjoy it while you can princess." He said in a friendly, almost teasing tone. "Once the Drule are gone, and everyone's fear calms down, those reporters will be back to hounding you."

"Maybe not." Pidge, the youngest pilot said. He adjusted his wire frame glasses, a half smile on his face. "With Prince Lotor dead, your relationship with him won't be such a hot topic of interest."

"WHAT relationship?" demanded Lance, the brown haired pilot of red lion scowling. "He was a deluded stalker who never gave Allura a minute of peace."

"Well, yes..." Pidge agreed. "But his obsession with Princess Allura was famous. It added a bit of spice to what would otherwise be just another story of the Drule trying to invade another world."

"It's something that is repeated on any dozen of worlds at any minute." Hunk, the pilot who had the bulkiest of bodies among the four men said. "It's a very real situation, but it doesn't mean it hasn't becoming a rather boring story to keep covering. I can see what Pidge is trying to say. Lotor's interest in Allura gave the reporters a new angle from to approach the war. They never knew what he was going to try next...It made it exciting."

"We could have all done without that kind of excitement." Keith pointed out, and the others nodded in agreement.

"It's over now." Mara decided to speak. "Lotor is dead, and soon the reporters won't even remember that part of the past. They'll move on, hunting out new angles, new stories to report on."

"But first they'll hound you for a sound bite." Lance said with a grimace. "They'll be hoping for some kind of emotional breakdown from you, princess. Sorrow or relief that he's gone."

"They won't get any." Mara stated firmly. "I'm not about to boost their ratings with a reaction over Lotor, or to their harassment."

"That's the way to go princess!" Pidge grinned at her, looking proud of the strength she had displayed. "You won't waste any emotions over a jerk like that Lotor was!"

Mara somehow managed not to react to Pidge calling Lotor a jerk. Allura simply wouldn't have cared, though Mara hoped that once the princess got to know the real Lotor, her opinions and feelings would change. She didn't know what was going on over on planet Simestia, Mara left only to wonder and hope that things would improve. Not just for Lotor's relationship with Allura, but that he would heal from Zarkon's abuse.

They all needed to heal to some extent, though some people's scars ran deeper than others. All the Drules had been touched in some way by Zarkon's madness. Even Haggar had suffered at his hands on occasion. Mara wondered if she and Haggar were missing out by not going to planet Simestia. At least Haggar could sometimes talk to Ryder, while Mara had to avoid all contact with the Drules.

Of course there was an allowance for an emergency. Mara had memorized the numbers to private lines that would be answered only by Haggar and Ryder. But she wasn't supposed to use them, unless a situation happened. Just as Haggar and Ryder were under strict orders not to blow Mara's cover, by contacting her. Radio silence was so far being maintained, and the only problem was about to be resolved when Haggar left with the bodies.

Already they could see the Drule ships in the distance. They still had some ways to descend, but there was no mistaking that beetle black metal of a Drule military vessel. There was only three, but two were large behemoth sized ships which flanked the command ship of the armada. Haggar would be on that command ship, protected by it's strong shielding and guarded by hundreds of soldiers.

"It won't be long now." Keith had followed Mara's upturned gaze to look at the descending ships. "This will be all over soon."

"Maybe." Hunk said doubtfully. "It still remains to be seen if the Drule will honor their end of the agreement."

"We have to hope that they will." Mara said, unable to betray how confidant she was on the outcome of what was about to happen. "We have to hope they'll be honorable, and respect that we allowed them to take their dead back to Doom."

"Since when have the Drule EVER been honorable?" Lance demanded.

Mara had to struggle not to turn on him with anger, instead managing a calm voice. "There's always a first time for everything."

"I won't hold my breath on that." Lance told her.

"Do you want them to try something?" Mara couldn't help but ask, voice tight as she tried to control her emotions.

"Hell no!" He exclaimed. "But I-we would be a fool to go into this trusting them. You know that, Allura. The Drule don't change. They're still the sneaky, lying, underhanded evil that plagues this galaxy."

She turned away before her glare gave her away. She wasn't surprised by Lance's attitude, the pilot of red lion not saying anything she hadn't heard before. So many people believed as he did, so many people didn't bother to find out what the Drule was like beyond the soldiers who operated under Zarkon's orders. It didn't make it any easier to hear though.

Nor could she keep entirely quiet, Mara trying for a question that wouldn't entirely betray her cover. "Can a whole race of people truly be all evil...?"

"What are you getting at Allura?" Keith asked, while Lance made a scoffing sound. Keith gave him a dirty look, as though trying to tell red lion's pilot to be quiet.

"I don't know Keith." Mara sighed. "It's just..." She shrugged. "With all that's happened recently...the Drule being so concerned to recover their dead. It makes me wonder..."

"Wonder what!" Lance exclaimed in disbelief. "They don't care about their dead. It's just glorified posturing, a power struggle between them and the Alliance. They'd use the dead as an excuse to increase hostilities, to blow this world apart."

"Then why haven't they done it already?" Mara asked. "Why go through all this trouble to pretend to retrieve the bodies?"

"They surely got something planned." Lance insisted. "And that's why we're here. To make sure whatever it is, doesn't succeed."

"The odds are definitely in favor of Lance being right." Pidge almost sounded apologetic. "Given the Drule's track record in the past, there's only roughly seven percent chance something won't happen today."

"The numbers are bad, I know." Mara said. "But I can't not take a chance that today's the day that they prove us wrong."

"Well, that's why you got us here to back you up." Hunk smiled. "You can keep believing, hoping that it'll all work out. But in case it doesn't, we're here to help you protect this world from the Drule. But really guys, I want to believe the princess' hope will come true."

"Hunk." Her voice was surprised, and the big man turned sheepish.

"I get tired of the fighting, you know." He told her. "It'd be nice if there was some good Drules, some Drules who wouldn't back stab and betray at the first chance they get."

"Maybe there are Hunk, maybe there are." Her smile was warm as she looked at the pilot.

"Well, we're not going to meet them today." Keith said. "It's nothing but soldiers on those ships."

"And Haggar!" Pidge exclaimed. "Don't forget that tricky old witch!"

"I don't think any of us could do that!" Hunk laughed, but it sounded nervous. "With Lotor gone, she's the worse we have to face."

"It's better than dealing with Zarkon." Keith pointed out. "I don't believe he would have been as agreeable to the princess' negotiations as the witch has been."

Mara knew Keith was right about that. Just as she wondered how much trouble Haggar would get into, when Zarkon found out that not only had the witch agreed to remove the barricade, she had kept her promise on that. The witch was putting herself into danger, all to get back the bodies of the dead Drules so that she could personally see to the disposal of the fake Lotor.

If left in Zarkon's hands, he would have regained the bodies by force. He never would have removed the barricade, if anything once the bodies were in the Drule's possession, he would have opened fire on the planet. With so many key members of the Alliance present, in addition to so many world leaders, Zarkon wouldn't have wanted to lose out on the opportunity to kill them all.

A soldier was approaching their group. He was dressed in shades of gray, with black slacks underneath his tunic. There were no medals on his uniform, in fact the only marking on the fabric was a smaller version of the Alliance crest. This was a Galaxy Garrison trained soldier. And by the fresh faced look of him, he was a new recruit, just barely out of training.

He hurried the way to them, but wasn't out of breath as he bowed to Mara. "Princess Allura, Captain Keith...I have a message from General Grants."

"Yes, what is it?" Mara asked, gesturing for the soldier to straighten.

"The Drules are being given permission to land." The young soldier informed them. "General Grants wants you, the Voltron Force, to be as close to the lions as we can get away with."

"So how close is close?" demanded Lance.

"The Drules have negotiated that no one is to be within 250 yards of the lions." Explained the soldier. Mara couldn't hide her surprise, for at the Voltron Force's current position, they were almost five hundred yards away.

"That close?" She asked, wanting to be certain. The soldier nodded.

"Well, we better hurry then." Keith decided. "Those ships are going to land any minute now!"

They didn't stick around to talk any further to the soldier, the Voltron Force breaking into a run. They had to weave through the crowd, their colorful spandex making them stand out in a sea of grays, blacks, and dark green. The soldiers they passed were all serious faced, weapons holstered at their sides. These men and women were tense, all watching the descending ships with eagle eye sharpness. Of course their weapons wouldn't be enough to bring down the ships, not with the kind of shielding Doom could afford. But once the ships were landed, and the Drules were out on the ground, then the weapons would be of use.

Mara could only hope that no one would get trigger happy at the sight of the Drules. Even if it was a misunderstanding, the Drules would leap to defend themselves. Another bloodbath could occur. And neither Mara nor Haggar wanted that to happen!

Mara was also surprised that Haggar had allowed the Voltron Force to be positioned so close to the lions. She didn't understand what had changed the witch's mind, but Mara hoped this would allow the Garrison and Kirentya soldiers to be more at ease.

The lions were hard to miss, even at this distance. Mara had yet to actually be inside one, having only been able to look at Blue lion as an outsider. She was both nervous and looking forward to the time she would be inside it's cockpit, though Mara desperately hoped her first flight would not be an actual battle with Doom. Not when she needed to familiarize herself with it's flight programs and weapons system.

A few more minutes would pass uneventfully, and then the Drule ships touched then. Tension on the field seemed to visibly increase, weapons being drawn as a ramp was lowered from the command ship. Haggar did not immediately appear. Instead a group of soldiers began to make their way down the ramp. They were also armed, weapons drawn but not aimed at anyone. They would spread out in front of the ship, facing the soldiers as General Grants and his escort began walking towards them.

Haggar would walk down the ramp at a slow pace, using her staff as a cane. Surrounding her was a team of elite soldiers, something equivalent to the Space Seals Garrison sometimes employed. The Space Seals weren't present for this meeting, weren't even in this part of the galaxy. Even if they had been summoned to Kirentya, they wouldn't have been able to get past the Drule barricade.

Haggar and Grants met in a small space between the soldiers and the landed Drule ships. They didn't shake hands, Grants fighting back a scowl as he looked at Haggar. The witch was frowning, and slowly her hand raised. Red lights instantly covered her form, half the gathered soldiers training their weapons on her in a panicked reaction. Mara herself grew tense, muttering to herself.

"She's not going to use magic you fools!"

Indeed she wasn't, instead using her hand to angrily gesture at the Voltron Force. They were too far away to hear until Pidge turned on a communicator that was tuned to one of the several recorders that was placed in the area. Immediately, Haggar's angry screeching was heard.

"Why is the Voltron Force so close to the lions?" She was demanding. "That was not part of the agreement!"

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Grants did not sound sorry, at all. In fact his tone was mocking and insolent. "I guess there was a misunderstanding about numbers. You Drules and your accents are so difficult to understand."

Mara wanted to growl, realizing Grants had tricked the Voltron Force into moving closer to the lions. He was purposefully trying to upset the Drule, to agitate Haggar into attacking. The witch wouldn't be so easy to be played, her scowl remaining as she glared at General Grants.

"Maybe you should get your ears checked!" Haggar snapped at him. "Are we going to do this, or aren't we?"

"You will pull back your ships?" Grants demanded.

"Were you not present for the agreement I worked out with Princess Allura?" Haggar seemed unfazed by the fact all those laser beams were trained on her.

"You Drule are not known for keeping your word." Grants retorted. "I want no misunderstandings. You're getting your dead back only because you agreed to pull out of Kirentya."

"You're fortunate it is not our King who is here before you." Haggar hissed. "King Zarkon would not tolerate your attempts at delaying the handing over of our dead." Her look turned suspicious. "Are the bodies even here?"

"Of course they are."

"Then let me see them." Haggar ordered. Grants scowled, but began gesturing and relaying orders. A large transport cruiser would be driven forward, it's back opening up to reveal soldiers who stood guard over the coffins. Haggar would turn, and bark out her own orders. More soldiers would come down the ramp, some of them carrying scanning devices. Together the Drules and the humans would work to unload the transport cruiser, each coffin being set down before the ship where the scanning devices would come into play.

"You understand, don't you?" Haggar was speaking sharply, exaggerating the accent Grants had complained about. "We have to make sure there's no nasty surprised hidden in these coffins."

Grants took offense to that. "We wouldn't trick you! We are not Drules! We wouldn't hide bombs in there!"

"Pardon me if I don't take you at your word." Haggar retorted. She walked away from Grants, gesturing for a coffin to be open. It was the one that was supposed to contain the fake Lotor's body. Haggar stared down into the coffin, eyes critical. Mara was too far away to see what Haggar saw, but the witch nodded. "Good. We feared you would defile our prince's body."

"We have respect for the dead!" Grants angrily shouted. "Even that of the Drule."

"Clearly you do not, or you would have given up these bodies days ago." Haggar retorted. "It's pure sacrilege to have allowed these dead to go so long without proper rites being administered to them. I can only pray that their souls haven't suffered needlessly over this."

"It doesn't matter how many rites you perform, how many prayers are said over their bodies. All Drule are damned." Grants smirked, acting like he was speaking an absolute truth.

"How dare you!" Haggar had whirled around with a hiss, and more lights were shining on her body now. "You know little about the Drule beyond the wars you fight in. Do not presume to act like you are some expert. Not on this, our customs, or our very civilization." Mara was inwardly cheering at Haggar's words, even as she knew they would have no effect on a man as hateful as General Grants. "I invite you to someday study your opponents more closely. You and your Alliance might be surprised at what you discover."

"Nothing good." He retorted. "There's nothing good about the Drule."

"You can say that again." Mara heard Lance mutter, as Pidge and Hunk made shushing sounds.

"So long as you think that way, we will forever be enemies." Haggar told him. That seemed to be the end of their talking, Haggar turning her back on Grants to watch the Drule soldiers labor with the coffins. Weapons would be trained on them all, though most of those laser's lights were on Haggar. She didn't care, walking around, talking in the Drule language to the soldiers who worked under her.

It would take time for all the bodies to be checked and then carried up onto the ramps of the two ships besides the command ship. The soldiers were tense the entire time, unable to relax so long as the witch was on the ground. A good three hours would pass like this, and as the last body was being carried up a ramp, Grants called out to Haggar.

"Remember your promise."

Haggar looked at him, but otherwise had no reaction. The lights stayed trained on her, even once her back was to the crowd, the witch making her slow climb up the ramp. The Drules soldiers would follow, the elite team guarding their backs. Mara didn't want to wait for the Drule ships to take off, the girl already abandoning her post to march determinedly towards Grants.

"Allura!" It was Keith, who was moving to follow her. "What are you doing? It's still not safe! The Drules might still attack!"

"Might?" Came Lance's doubting voice. "Hell, they got what they wanted. Nothing's stopping them from attacking now! I say we go for the lions!"

"Keep your positions as is!" Mara snapped. "No one gets into a lion unless the Drule open fire first."

"But...?"

"You heard the princess!" Keith exclaimed.

"But...princess...what are you going to be doing?" Pidge's uncertain sounding voice asked.

"I'm going to talk to Grants." She told them. "The General has a lot to answer for."

"I'm coming with you." Keith decided.

"Oh great." Complained Lance. "So instead of five lions, we're down to three?"

"Three lions will be more than enough to deal with three Drule war ships." Hunk pointed out. Mara didn't say to listen to any more of their talk, walking so fast she was almost running. Keith's longer legs easily kept up with her, and she could feel his concerned gaze on her.

"Princess, I know you're upset that he tricked us, but you have to keep a cool head about it." Advised Keith. "Don't do anything you'll regret."

Mara had to bite her lip, almost saying she'd regret more the things she couldn't say and do. Right now she wanted to punch Grants, but knew that wouldn't be Allura like behavior. She couldn't even get that loud, having to be the diplomatic princess who did not burn bridges. She had to keep things from escalating out of control, but Mara also thought Allura wouldn't have allowed them to be tricked so.

Grants had known what he was trying to do. Of that there was no doubt in Mara's mind. He had hoped that the Drules would see the Voltron Force so close to the lions, and would react by attacking. They might have done just that, if not for Haggar keeping everyone under her control. Grants had to be disappointed his little scheme hadn't worked. Just as he had to be mad that Haggar had behaved herself, refusing to react to his comments with anything other than snide remarks of her own.

"I won't Keith." Mara promised him. Soldiers were moving out of the way, giving them a clear path to Grants. The General saw them coming, the man having not lost his scowl. "But he has to know he can't get away with tricking us."

"Yeah, he can't." Agreed Keith. He was right with her as she marched up to Grants, the human looking an angry red as he opened his mouth to shout at them.

"Just what do you think you're doing, abandoning your positions? The Drule could open fire at any moment!"

"Three lions are more than capable of handling such a small amount of ships." Mara retorted. "But it's not going to be an issue."

"How can you say that?" Grants demanded. "They are the Drules!"

"They are not going to attack us." Mara insisted. "And if they do, it will be because of you."

"Me?" He scoffed then. "I've done nothing."

"Nothing but purposefully antagonize them every chance you got!" Mara glared at him. "You had the Voltron Force stand closer to the lions than the Drule wanted us too! We're lucky they even landed considering what a threat they would have felt that was! And was it really necessary to have so many laser trained on Haggar?"

"The soldiers were understandable nervous in the presence of the witch." Grants said stiffly. "And with good reason. Anything I did today, I did to ensure we could move to minimize potential damage to this world and it's people."

She hadn't even brought up his rudeness to Haggar. "You should have consulted us rather than try to trick us."

"And you should have negotiated terms better." Grants retorted, and Mara gasped. It wasn't just a thing Allura would have done in the moment, Mara was truly insulted.

"Watch how you speak to her." Keith snapped, a protective presence by Mara's side.

"I think the princess is a little too soft hearted to be a part of this war." Grants grumbled, ignoring what Keith had just said. "Though how she could still try to work with the Drule after all they've done to her planet, I'll never understand."

"We have to have some compassion." Mara said. "Otherwise, we're no better than what you say the Drule are like."

"Those monsters deserve nothing from us!" Grants snapped. "Every last one of them should be wiped out!"

Keith must have sensed what Mara was going to do, for suddenly his hand was on her shoulder. It was truly the only reason Mara remember herself enough to not punch the General. "I am going to be requesting to the Alliance that you be removed from any farther dealings with Arus." She had the satisfaction of seeing how angry he got at that, Grants snapping at her.

"You can't do that!"

I can and I will." Mara swore with relish. "Arus and the Voltron Force will not be used in any further grandstanding with the Drule. We will of course aid those in need, but we will not be playing any of YOUR games."

"I'll have the Alliance withdraw full support from Arus!" threatened Grants.

"You wouldn't dare." Mara drew herself up to her full height. She wasn't as tall as most Drules were, too close to size in Allura that there was only an inch difference between them. Short as she was, Mara had a presence about her that when used made her seem taller than she really was. She used that presence now to loom menacingly over Grants. "If you so much as try, I'll not only have you removed as Arus' Garrison liaison, I'll have you stripped of your rank and power." A steely eyed glare at him. "Do not test me on this General. You'll find the Alliance values the use of Voltron, more than they value a single General."

He sputtered angrily, but she was already turning. As far as Mara was concerned, the conversation was over with. She did not look back, not even as the General shouted her name. Keith hurried after her, the soldiers all pretending they hadn't seen the angry exchange between the princess of Arus and the Garrison General.

Mara waited until they were clear of most of the crowd, before turning to look at Keith. "I'm sorry Keith. I guess I couldn't control my temper after all."

"No, it's fine." Keith assured her. "I think he needed to be brought down a peg or two."

"Still...tensions as they are, he could do some real damage to Arus before he is removed from power." She sighed. "I shouldn't have said as much as I did...not when Arus is in so vulnerable a position with the lions here on Kirentya."

"You're probably right about that, but it was still something to see!" Her eyes widened. Was that an admiring look in Keith's eyes? "It's not often I get to hear you be so forceful. Usually you reserve that kind of energy to defend your right to fly blue lion to Nanny and Coran."

"Well, flying blue lion is something I'm passionate about..." Mara managed not to stammer uncertainly. She was so unnerved by the way Keith was looking at her. "And I'm just as passionate about defending Arus!" She let her shoulders sag. "Nanny and Coran will be disappointed with my outburst." She worried the way Allura would have in the moment.

"Yeah, probably." Keith agreed, and Mara's shoulders sagged even further. "Hey, cheer up." He urged. "You probably have Grants running so scared, he won't have the nerve to do anything he threatened. Nanny and Coran need never know." Mara hoped they wouldn't find out, because the last thing she wanted to endure was any more of Nanny's chastising tongue. It was bad enough just listening to the woman's comments about the Drule, without having to be the personally focus of Gertrude's disapproval.

"I suppose we're going to have to go back to the hotel now." Mara couldn't keep from sounding depressed. She had spent too much time in the hotel, her every move pretty much watched by Nanny.

"We don't have to." Keith's eyes twinkled.

"What do you mean?" Mara looked at him curiously.

"Well we skipped lunch. Surely Nanny can't object to us stopping for a quick bite in town."

Mara was delighted. "Oh yes, please! Can we do that!" She had clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with her excitement.

"You got it princess!" Keith was chuckling, amused by her reaction. Mara was almost embarrassed, but that was how suffocated she had grown to feel under Nanny's watchful eye. Mara couldn't understand how Allura was able to stand it, the Drule female finding Nanny a painful experience that had to be endured. It had only been a few days, and yet Mara was chafing under the many restrictions Nanny placed on the princess. It was too much, to the point any little reason to get away from Nanny was a cause of elation. Mara was looking forward to this lunch, just as she looked forward to finally leaving Kirentya. One of Mara's fervent hopes was that once on Arus, she could find things for Nanny to do. Things that would keep the woman away for longer periods of times. Mara knew she had to play the part of Princess Allura, but the Drule female was hoping that on Arus there would be a chance to let her hair down for once.

Well...for someone who thought she wouldn't be able to make a fully fleshed out chapter based on the handing over the bodies stuff, I am amazed at how long this chapter ended up being! Next chapter might still be a Mara chapter as they all go to lunch. I'm almost as excited as Mara to be away from Nanny! XD

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Elena, thanks again. Sorry to disapoint, but there won't be any physical combat battles for quite some time. There will be eventually...but that's not what the stories about. It's more about the characters, their emotions and interactions. There is slated to be some fighting on Arus though...but first I have to get the VOltron Force back to that planet. So much to do...and real life is interfering with my writing time. X_X


	27. Chapter 27

They hadn't been able to find a restaurant close to the space port that was still open. The surroundings areas had all been evacuated, a sign of how strong Drule paranoia was. No one had wanted to believe the Drule would NOT attack, nor had they wanted to risk those who lived in the area.

It had been a surreal experience to ride through streets that were empty. With buildings still standing, no dead laying in the streets, no soldiers marching. Normally when the Drule came through so deserted a city, it was after King Zarkon had devastated it.

This city had not been attacked, but it still had been marked by Zarkon. By the simple but effective fear of him. The fear of what he could do. It was a fear that extended to associate with the Drule people. The people of Kirentya like the rest of the galaxy, simply didn't know any better. They took at face value that the Drule did these things because they were evil, and not because a tyrant forced them into it.

Mara tried not to let her mind wander to the past. She honestly did. But the memories were not so easily thwarted, the empty streets calling to mind a different city. Different streets, different circumstances. Where the few survivors of the bombardments were quickly run down but slowly killed. She could almost taste the smoke, feel the distant flames warming her. But most of all, she could feel the stare of the frightened child's eyes boring into her, the little human screaming.

She hadn't been able to do it. Hadn't been able to look at that little girl, and give her over to the horrors that made up Zarkon's idea of amusement. Mara hadn't been able to kill the girl, neither quick nor slow. Her conscience cost them both, a less feeling, less hesitant soldier doing what Mara couldn't. What Mara would be punished for refusing to do.

Somehow she managed not to flinch, recalling the way the back of her soldier's uniform had been torn open. The whipping that followed was nothing compared to that which had happened next, Zarkon ordering the soldiers to beat what woman's compassion still remained, out of Mara.

In the present, Mara's hands noticeably clenched, her nails digging into her lap. Tension coiled through her, though there was no reason now for her to be so scared. Still she flinched when a hand touched her shoulder.

"Easy there." Keith's now familiar voice said from besides her. His dark eyes were concerned for Keith hadn't failed to notice Mara's upset.

"Sorry Keith." Mara murmured. "Just thinking about something General Grants said." It was the only thing she could think of that could possibly explain her mood.

"Forget about him." Keith urged. "He won't really be able to talk the Alliance into abandoning Arus."

Mara hoped Keith was right about that. "Still I antagonized him when I shouldn't have." But Mara didn't regret her threats to the General.

"So maybe you weren't as careful as you should have been." Keith was saying. "But neither did you back down from him. It was impressive and I'm proud of you."

"We're all proud." Added Hunk from the seat across from Mara's. He hadn't been physically present for the confrontation. But Hunk, along with Lance and Pidge had been able to listen in, via a radio.

"Thanks Hunk." Mara couldn't manage a genuine smile, the memories of her past life as a soldier still haunting her.

"I, for one, would have loved to have been close enough to see the look on Grant's face!" Lance exclaimed with a chortle. Mara knew from the files she had studied, that Lance was the pilot known for having a lack of respect for those in authority. Especially when it came to men like General Grants, who made more enemies than friends. "He sounded as though he was having a coronary, after you walked away from him, princess."

"He didn't like being reminded that Princess Allura has a back bone." Pidge said from besides red lion's pilot. The young man dressed in the green and white spandex of his pilot's uniform, had a data pad in his hands. His fingers flew over the board, Pidge's eyes intent on the data on it's screen. Earlier, he had looked up restaurants and diners, trying to find a suitable eating establishment that was still open for business.

The cruiser was heading towards one of the places Pidge had found, the Voltron Force due to arrive at their destination in the next five or so minutes. It couldn't come soon enough for Mara, the Drule female eager to leave behind the empty streets for a more populated part of the city.

"I think a lot of people don't like that kind of reminder." Lance was saying. "Can you imagine how Nanny, or even Coran would react if Allura stood up to them?"

"Nanny would have a fit!" Pidge exclaimed. "You know how she is. Always gotta have the last word, doesn't take any back talk."

To Mara it just sounded like Nanny was a bully, plain and simple. Which only succeeded in depressing her as Mara thought to how long she would have to suffer under the overbearing woman's care.

"I mean, she even throws her weight around Coran!" Pidge had set down his data pad, apparently finding Nanny a far more interesting topic than anything on the news channels. "And nine times out of ten, he lets her get away with it!"

"I think the problem is too many people do that." Lance grumbled. "If someone would speak up, maybe she would learn to control herself."

"Yeah? Then how come you don't do that, Lance?" Keith looked to be smirking, his tone teasing insolence as he looked at his second in command. The brown hair pilot of red lion turned flustered, the faintest coloring appearing on his cheeks as he tried to sputter out excuses. The group inside the cruiser began to laugh, amused by Lance's upset.

"Hey, I know when to pick my battles."

"In other words, Nanny is a fight you don't want." Mara said, and Lance looked embarrassed.

"Princess! That's not, I mean it's..."

"It's what, Lance?" Hunk joined in on the teasing. "Someone has to stand up to her at some point. Or is it you want to let someone else be the first to pave the way for the rest of us?"

"Better them than me!" Lance retorted, crossing his arms over his chest. "I mean, I get enough of a workout fighting the Drule. I don't need Nanny on top of all my problems!"

More laughter from the group, even Mara's lips were twitching with a smile. She could feel the tension easing away from the men inside the cruiser, the laughter a distraction from all that had happened today. From the confrontation with General Grants, to the constant worry that the Drules would back stab them all and attack, the group had been on edge for hours now. This laughter was good for them, helped them to relax a little by little, even as Lance pretended to scowl and be angry over their teasing.

"I always did say Nanny is scarier than a hundred of Haggar's robeasts put together." Pidge told them.

"I think even Voltron would lose if Nanny was turned into one of Haggar's robeasts!" Hunk's words seemed to make them all shudder as they tried to imagine Nanny like that.

"Frankly, I don't know how you put up with her, princess." Lance was looking at Mara now, asking a question that she herself had wondered about. How did Allura endure spending so much time under Nanny's watchful eye? Mara had only spent a few days like this, and she was slowly suffocating from Nanny's attentions. "If I was you, I would have already gone crazy."

"Nanny can be a little overbearing..." Mara said in diplomatic tones.

"A little?" snorted Lance in disbelief.

"But she means well." Mara continued. She hoped she wouldn't have to say more than this, not wanting to have to actually defend a woman she couldn't really stand. "She only wants what's best for me..."

"That best doesn't include piloting blue lion." Keith pointed out. "She'd keep you locked in the castle all day, and let the rest of us be the ones to face the danger."

"When Zarkon comes, there is little place on the planet that is safe." Mara's eyes had darkened. "I'd rather be out fighting, than hiding in the castle because someone believed it was safer."

"No one will ever accuse you of being a coward, that's for damn sure." Lance praised.

"Still, I'll be glad to get back to Arus." Mara told them. "Maybe then I won't have to spend quite so much time under Nanny's watchful eyes."

"Yeah with a whole castle to run, a full staff to terrorize, you'll be able to get a breather from her." Keith smiled.

"Small though it may be." Lance added. "Better enjoy this lunch princess. It'll be the last bit of freedom you have from her, for a while yet!"

"Oh I intend too." Mara promised them. She meant it too, Mara absolutely delighting in the chance to escape Nanny for even a few minutes more. The thought of spending an hour at lunch was like a dream, Mara hoping the Voltron Force pilots would eat slow so that they could linger longer in the restaurant.

"She's going to be mad though." Warned Hunk.

"I'm prepared to deal with the consequences of her anger." Mara told him.

"You really are brave." Lance said, but in the moment it wasn't admiring. "Risking it like that."

"What's the worse she could do?" Mara wondered, assuming it would just be a lot of nagging and shouting that Nanny would do.

"She could spank you again."

Somehow Mara managed to control her shocked reaction. Nanny had spanked the princess of Arus? And she still had her job? It was unbelievable! "That will not be happening to me." Mara said firmly. Cover or no, if Nanny tried to go that far with Mara, the Drule would put her in place. Preferably with a few slaps to the older woman's ass!

"Standing up to Grants has really made you bold, if you think to stop Nanny!" Lance exclaimed.

"There comes a time in everyone's life when they have to make a stand." Mara stated. "Nanny will just have to learn to accept the boundaries I put in place."

"Yeah, good luck with that." A disbelieving Lance muttered.

"Well, I for one think it's wonderful." Keith was smiling at her again. "You're going to be Queen one day. Nanny has to not only understand that, but respect you and the power of your position."

"That's right." Nodded Mara, smiling back at him. "Maybe now is the time to start making her understand that."

"Couldn't hurt. Although..." he hesitated a moment. "I'd ease her in slowly to the idea."

"Slowly...?"

"Just don't do anything too outrageous." Keith advised. "Start out small."

"Small." She repeated thoughtfully. "Like going to this lunch."

"Exactly!" Keith chuckled. "She's so used to controlling every aspect of your life, right down to what you eat. This will be quite a change for both of you!"

"Right." Mara smiled, noting the cruiser was slowing to a stop. It appeared they were arriving at the restaurant Pidge had found for them. "Is this the place, Pidge?"

The young pilot looked out the window. "Yes, this is it. Its not a very fancy place, but the food received a really high rating!"

"We don't need fancy." Scoffed Lance. "We get enough of that at the castle."

"Besides, we're not really dressed up for anything more than this." Pidge pointed out.

"Good, because I hate having to get dressed up just to eat." Hunk grumbled, and opened the cruiser's door. The big man immediately climbed out, Lance and Pidge quickly following. Keith would insist on being next, Mara realizing the Voltron Force was scanning the streets to make sure there was no threat to the princes.

"Okay Allura...your turn." Keith reached inside, offering his hand to her. Mara hesitated a moment, looking up at his smiling face. She couldn't stop the pleased smile from spreading across her lips, Mara taking his hand. By the time he helped her from the cruiser, Pidge and Hunk were already at the doors to the restaurant. The two were direct opposites in size, and yet both had the same enthusiasm for the meal they were about to eat.

"We better hurry." Mara murmured to Keith, having taking the opportunity to place her other hand on his arm as though she needed to regain her balance. She could feel the muscles there, Keith built though not bulging with brawn the way many Drule males were. She liked that he wasn't overly muscled, Mara never caring for a body that was over built to extremes.

"Yes, we better." Keith agreed, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Otherwise Pidge and Hunk will eat the restaurant out of business before we even get in the door!"

"Hey, we heard that!" complained Hunk as they approached. But he wasn't insulted, winking at Mara as he pulled open the door. The Voltron Force would enter the restaurant's foyer, a small entrance room that kept them out of sight of the dining area. A male waiter was standing there at a lectern, already gathering up five menus to give them.

"Table for five?" He asked, and Hunk nodded. "Follow me."

The group trailed after him, being led into the dining area. There was plenty of people already seated, and a few glanced up to look at the newest arrivals. The reaction to seeing the uniforms of the Voltron Force was immediate, their eyes widening as they gasped. The gasps drew attention from the other diners, and soon everyone was looking at them.

"It's the Voltron Force!" It was a line repeated, getting louder and louder. People were getting excited, some actually standing. Mara wasn't sure what to make of this, her body tensing as though she was preparing for a fight. And then a group converged on them, the people HAPPY to see them. Wanting to shake their hands, get their autographs, even take a picture. Keith stood next to Mara the entire time, his stance protective even as he reacted with friendliness to the attention. The other three were signing autographs, and Lance was even flirting with a pretty redhead.

Suddenly Mara felt something tugging on her leg. She glanced down, and froze. There was an adorable human child looking up at her. A little girl with black hair, and brown eyes. The look in the child's eyes was different from the one in her memories. This girl wasn't terrified, this girl wasn't crying. This girl was happy, eager to be noticed by Mara.

"I think she wants you to give her a hug." Came Keith's loud whisper from besides her. Mara blinked slowly in response, and the little girl reacted to the captain's voice. She actually lifted her arms up, in a signal that was universal. The girl indeed wanted to be hugged, and suddenly Mara was down on one knee, opening her arms to the child. The little girl giggled, and wrapped her arms around Mara's neck, the female Drule trembling with emotion. She was careful as she hugged the child, as though fearing she would somehow hurt the little human with her Drule strength.

"Princess, please! May we get a picture!" A man with the same eyes and hair as the little girl had appeared. Mara nodded, afraid to speak. She'd stand up, the little girl in her arms, and Keith would lean into the picture.

"Be sure to look at the camera now, little one." He advised, and the little girl turned in time for the camera's flash.

"Thank you!" The father exclaimed, though the little girl didn't want to let go of Mara to return to him. He'd all but have to pry her arms from around Mara, the girl smiling adoringly at the Drule female.

The owner of the restaurant would appear, insisting on a picture with the Voltron Force that he could hang up on his wall. They smiled and posed, and listened as the owner babbled about the great honor they had done him in gracing his establishment with their presence. Mara wondered if this kind of welcome was typical for the Voltron Force, even as she made an automatic reply to the owner's insisting their meal should be free.

"Oh we couldn't do that!"

"She's right." Keith said in support. "You'd go bankrupt if Hunk and Pidge got to eat their fill for free."

The manager looked at the pilots in question, though he was surely puzzled how a boy Pidge's size could possibly eat that much. But he nodded, and gave in to their insistence that they pay.

The people in the restaurant would have been content to hound the Voltron Force for stories and pictures all day. But the manager clapped his hands, shouting loudly over the excited crowd. Forcing them to return to their tables, and allow the Voltron Force to eat their lunch in peace. It didn't stop everyone from staring at them, but at least the Voltron Force was finally seated in a corner table.

Mara looked at her menu, which was in both basic and the language of this planet. There was quite a selection, the food nothing like the limited fare that passed as rations on Doom. Truthfully it overwhelmed her, Mara not sure what to order. The pictures in the menu all looked so appetizing, she almost wanted to try them all! Finally she set down the menu, and announced her dilemma.

"It all looks so good, I can't make up my mind!"

"Why don't I pick something out for you then, princess?" suggested Keith.

"Oh would you, Keith?" She smiled at him, pleased.

"I think she should try something new." Pidge added. "Something she couldn't get on Arus."

"She should get something Nanny would never allow her to have, like the rum filled steak!" Lance's eyes were mischievous then.

"Are you hoping to get the princess drunk?" demanded Hunk.

'What? No!" scoffed Lance. "Most of the alcohol in the steak cooks out. She'll only get a slight buzz. Not enough for Nanny to notice."

"Nanny notices EVERYTHING about the princess." Pointed out Pidge. "She'll know. Oh she'll know."

"I don't see how." Grumbled Lance.

Keith had his menu open, and was leaning into Mara with it. She liked having him so close, Mara paying more attention to Keith's scent of after shave than the words written on the menu. "I think we all better skip the rum." He was saying to Lance's disappointed moan. "We all need to keep a clear head. Just in case."

"Just in case Zarkon attacks?" asked Mara.

"Well, yes. But also, we'll be busy once the Drules pull back their ships." Keith told her. "We might even get the call to move out tonight."

"The sooner, the better." Lance said. "I've had enough of being trapped in one place for so long!"

"A lot of people feel that way." Pidge spoke up. "You can bet everyone at the embassy will already be packed and waiting for the okay to leave. We're going to be busy when that happens."

Mara knew what Pidge meant by that. The lions would be orbiting the planet, keeping an eye out for any hostile Drule forces. The lions would guard and escort the ships leaving Kirentya, traveling with them until they got far enough away from the planet to make the hyperspace jumps. The lions themselves would then dock inside a carrier vessel, a ship that would take them the rest of the way to Arus. Even traveling in hyperspace, it would take time to get to Arus, and everyone here hoped it would be an uneventful journey.

A waitress would appear. She would take everyone's orders, then leave to go fill them. Conversation continued between them, the pilots joking and teasing each other. It was so different a mood from anything Mara had experienced as a soldier, the teasing more mean spirited than the friendly joking these men were doing. Nor was there any nervousness or despair, no one depressed over having no other option than to fight in the military. These men weren't upset, they knew their princess would never ask them to do something they would find morally objective.

It was nice, and it was pleasant, Mara relaxing more. But not too much, the Drule female not wanting to become soft. That was the danger in living Allura's life, Mara being exposed to comforts and niceties she had never truly experienced before. It was the kind of living she could get used to, the kind of living she could enjoy, minus Nanny's constant interference of course.

"Too bad, Lance." Hunk was grinning. "That redhead who slipped you her number? She'll be heartbroken if you have to leave tonight!"

"There will be other redheads." Smirked Lance, fitting the image of the playboy womanizer Mara's file had said he was. He was the type to have a different woman on every planet, dozens and dozens of them waiting on the hope that he would return to them. But a commitment wasn't something that Lance wanted at this point in his life, the man more devoted to piloting red lion than settling down with a woman.

"Just as there are other women." Lance continued, smiling flirtatiously at the approaching waitress.

"Come on man, leave some for the rest of us!" Hunk complained.

"It's not my fault if they prefer me to you, right Keith?" Lance grinned. The waitress had reached their table, bending slightly to start putting down their plates. Lance continued to smile at her, his eyes staring at her hint of cleavage. Hunk looked too, though he made sure to make eye contact when the waitress glanced his way.

"Anything else?" The waitress asked, and Lance was suddenly clasping her hand with his.

"How about your number, cutie?" He asked, and she blushed in response.

"I'm not supposed to give that kind of information out." She giggled nervously. "I'll get in trouble with my boss."

"Make an exception. For me." Lance flirted. "You might find I'm worth the trouble!"

"Leave her alone Lance." Keith ordered. He glanced at the waitress, whose look hinted she wasn't sure she wanted to be left alone. "Thanks, that will be all for now."

"All right." She scurried off, but not before she gave Lance another look.

"Unbelievable!" Hunk grumbled in an exasperated tone.

"Just eat your food Hunk." Keith told him.

Mara had uncovered her plate, looking down at the meal. She had some kind of fresh water fish, that had been cut and spread over a leafy green salad. The fish was nothing she recognized, but it smelt appetizing enough. She quickly dug her fork into a big bite of the fish, and then let out a soft sound of appreciation.

"Good?" Keith asked, and she nodded.

"Very." She assured him.

They were all busying themselves eating, but the conversation didn't stop. In between bites they talked, Mara just taking in the atmosphere of the friends. They all got along so well, and Mara would have had to be blind not to realize that it was true friendships they had formed. It was probably why they worked so well as a team, they simply cared that much about one another.

They cared about Allura too. They included her in the conversation, treating her like she was another one of the guys, or a sister they respected and admired. Mara didn't pick up on any romantic tension coming off the men. That they reserved for other females in the restaurant. It made her curious, Mara wondering if Allura's princess' status is what kept them from viewing her as a viable romantic interest. Not that she wanted to deal with any crushes or romantic complications. Not even her own, Mara trying not to glance at Keith in the moment.

It took a concentrated effort not to keep looking at Keith. Her eyes kept doing side long glances, studying his handsome profile. Admiring the way his black hair fell down to his shoulders. Her fingers itched to sweep back the bangs that kept falling messily over his dark eyes, and his smile still turned her inside out every time he flashed it at her.

Just as she felt an unneeded jealousy when a woman approached the table, and ended up the focus of that smile. This woman had short brown hair, that was a mass of tiny, tight curls. She wasn't as outstanding a beauty as the redhead that had approached Lance had been. Perhaps that is why the pilot of red lion paid her no attention. It didn't matter, this brunette had her blue eyes on Keith, her cheeks pink as she blushed and stammered her way through an introduction.

Keith kept that dazzling smile on his lips, polite interest in his eyes as the woman nervously handed him a note. She didn't stick around for his reaction, hurrying away. Keith barely had time to open the note, before Lance was plucking it out of his hands.

"Hey, that's mine!" Keith protested, as Lance began announcing the woman had given her name, phone number, and address to Keith. Mara felt her jealousy spike, along with an irrational surge of anger. How dare that woman come over here, monopolize Keith's attention, brief though the moment had been? Even worse, how dare she leave him such a note in a blatant invitation for the handsome captain to do more.

Mara angrily jabbed her fork into her fish, feeling agitated. She didn't know what Allura would do in this type of situation. Allura might even encourage Keith to go pursue that woman. But Mara selfishly did not want Keith anywhere near that mousy looking woman!

"Give it back." Keith was demanding, his hand making a grab for the note. Lance laughed and held it out of reach, Mara angrily chewing on her salad.

"Don't get your shorts so twisted captain." Lance teased. "You and I both know that woman isn't your type. Hell, there's no one in this restaurant exotic enough for YOUR tastes!"

Mara couldn't help herself. "What does that mean?" She glanced at Keith who had turned a red so angry it almost matched the shade on his pilot's uniform.

"Nothing. Lance just doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut." Keith grumbled, and no longer tried to get back the note. It was clear by the way he was angrily stabbing HIS fork into his meal, Keith didn't want Mara to pursue this line of question. Mara couldn't help but be intrigued, wondering just what Keith looked for in a woman. She tried to surreptitiously glance around the restaurant, her eyes taking in the women present. They were all human, and range in varied description. From blonde hair, to dark hair, even the red of Lance's admirer, there were humans with pale skin, tanned skin, even caramel colored skin. There was thin women, fat women, even voluptuous beauties. Young, old, and everything in between, and yet Lance said none of these women were fit for Keith's tastes. Mara didn't know what to think, didn't want to believe that exotic could mean something more than human. It was a mystery, and one she would love to solve, Mara thinking back on how there had been little if any mention of Keith when it came to his romantic preferences.

It just made her want to pry, to question him fully. But Mara thought this was something Allura would respect enough to leave alone. And that frustrated her, cause Mara's curiosity was stirred almost as badly as her interest in Keith was becoming. She took another bite of her fish salad, sneaking another glance at Keith. He was an intriguing puzzle, and if she had the chance, she meant to solve some of the mystery around him!

This was a chapter that did not want to end! X_X I feel like it ended up being mostly filler, but I was trying to show a relaxed atmosphere. Plus the thing with the women, and Keith's exotic tastes will come to play later in the story. (I can't wait for Mara to snoop in his office! XD) But Keith is NOT gay, so get that worry out of your head. Yes, I am trying to set it up that he and Mara have a romantic relationship together. But it will be a slow build to get to that point...X_X

I want to thank TenJP for throwing ideas at me for conversation topics. I'm afraid I didn't get to use many if at all in this chapter, but I'm saving your suggestions for future ones! *knocks on wood*

Next chapter will be back to planet Simestia and the Drules!

To Be Continued!

Michelle

Wade Wells, you're welcome! I'm sorry I didn't get to it sooner, but I am behind on both my reading and my writing due to medical problems. (Foot/leg and tooth. Urgh.) I

am trying to get back in a Voltron writing mood but it's so hard! I barely wrote anything for a month and a half. T_TNow it's my turn to thank you! Allura's strength vulnerabilty mix, I think the women in this story are like that. I have a few that read the story and thought the women might be stronger than the men. I'm trying to remember exactly what they said...but I'm having a brain fart. But like...Allura went through trauma and abuse, as did Lotor, but she had a different reaction to it than him. His reaction has been to run away (Albeit he's trying to protect as many people as he can...but it's still bad to run in this situation) while Allura is just determined to fight. So that to me, makes it seem Allura is stronger than Lotor even if he has physical strength! I hope I'm making sense...X_X And yes...a bond is forming...slowly though...then I get overwhelemed, cause there is still so much to do in this story, and for all the couples...I can't wait till you get to the chapter where Ryder meets the priestess! Heh...at the moment, Ryder and Alexandria are my fave couple in this fic. Ha ha ha! I love writing them. Even more than Lotor and Allura in this fic at least!


	28. Chapter 28

The water roared, pounding down on him from the overhead nozzle. The furious pelt formed thick rivulets over him, cascading down his body, washing away the soap and shampoo. Cleaning him. Lotor stood underneath that furious assault, enduring heat that was just this close to burning. His eyes were closed, his hands not moving. He was frozen for the moment, and trying to get warm.

It had nothing to do with the current temperature of the room. The sun was up, it's rays warming the land. Chasing away the chills inside the house. With the climate control being unable to function, it would have been insane to bathe any earlier. Not with how cold the night was. Even the warmth of fires, and numerous blankets couldn't stave off the cold completely. The night was simply too cold to risk a shower.

It was different during the day. The heat of the sun made things near unbearable, and with no air conditioning currently available, bathing was one of the few options left to cool oneself. But his body seemed to be refusing to acknowledge the heat, Lotor shivering under the water's assault. He was cold from the inside out, disturbed because he had had the dreams again.

He had dreamt of his father. Of the many twisted and evil things he had seen Zarkon do. To others and to himself, Lotor enduring a lifetime of torments in just a handful of years. Zarkon's cruelty knew no bounds, his inventiveness limitless when it came to torture. No one could know all that he had done, and still retain their sanity. At best, they could only come away with small glimpses, and even those brief looks left them haunted by what they had seen.

Lotor had seen a lot over the years. Zarkon had set out to mold him, to remake Lotor in his image. He had tried to toughen up the prince, force him to watch some of the most gruesome displays of the courts and the dungeons. Lotor had been punished for his screams, Zarkon not caring that he had only been twelve years old, little more than a boy at the time.

Lotor blamed these dreams on all that had happened the day before. On the gruesome talk at breakfast, a talk that hadn't even begun to cover the things Zarkon was capable of. The memories had already been stirred up by Lotor being in this house, and the talk at breakfast had only added to their power. They were making him remember things, past events that had helped shape him to become the man he was now. Events he never wanted to remember, the experiences being just part of what had sent him running from Doom.

His back was hurting, pains that weren't all phantom. He'd have to get someone to look over the freshest wounds, the time nearing when his stitches would have to be removed. Lotor knew he'd have fresh scars on top of the old ones. Zarkon had been too brutal to allow anything else. Vaguely Lotor could remember Haggar talking to him, explaining how they had had to sew up several of the deeper wounds several times due to the prince thrashing about in his fever stricken state.

He didn't even want to look at his back. Didn't want to see the mish mash of ugly, criss crossing scars that covered so much of him. He was fortunate Zarkon had kept his focus mainly on Lotor's back, though there was a few to mar his front as well. His body wasn't ruined, but it would never be perfect. Never not be a reminder of what Zarkon had done.

He still wasn't warmed, but Lotor reached out to shut off the shower. It was near instantaneously, how the water stopped, leaving Lotor to shiver without it's heat touching him. But he had lingered long enough. Allura would be worried if he stayed inside the bathroom any longer. Lotor stepped out of the shower, and hurried over to where the towels were laid out. He was thorough as he dried himself off, making sure nothing, not even his hair remained damp.

He wouldn't try to look at the mirror as he got dressed, Lotor not wanting to catch sight of his back. He'd put on the clothes that he had brought with him into the bathroom, all in an attempt to keep Allura from seeing the truth of what Zarkon had done to him. Some part of Lotor knew it was foolish. He knew he couldn't go on indefinitely hiding his body from her. But with Allura still fearing intimacy to such a strong degree, it felt like a moot point. It wasn't as if they were going to make love anytime soon, and disappointed though he was over that realization, Lotor was relieved at the time it bought him.

He finished buttoning up his shirt, and ran a brush through his hair. Now he was able to look at himself in the mirror, the clothing presenting the illusion that he wasn't a scarred, damaged person. He could pass for normal, Lotor working to chase the haunted look from his eyes. He couldn't quite smile, Lotor unlocking the door, and entering into the bedroom. Allura was sitting on the love seat, having showered and dressed before him.

Their eyes met, and Lotor wanted to go to her. To pull her up into his embrace, to hold and to kiss her. Just like he had done during the night, minus the attempts to kiss her. Lotor had been too selfish to allow Allura complete peace during the night. Too needy to not insist that she stay pressed against him, with his arms wrapped around her. She had tolerated this with little complaint, Allura seeming relaxed enough to trust him that Lotor wouldn't try for more. She hadn't had a panic attack, though her eyes hadn't been free of upset. She still feared being held, of being touched by him, and it was a fear that would never go away so long as Allura refused to deal with whatever had happened to her in the past.

Lotor was beyond curious. He wanted to help Allura heal as much as he wanted to know what exactly had happened. He failed to realize she was doing the same as him, keeping her past hidden so that she couldn't move on from it. She wouldn't talk about it, just like Lotor wouldn't talk about the abuse he had been through. They were both keeping things bottled inside, hurting themselves in their attempts to protects themselves from confronting just what had happened.

"That's a nice color on you." Lotor said out loud to break the silence. "That shade of blue really brings out your eyes."

She didn't quite blush, a nervous hand reaching to smooth down the front of her dress. "Thank you. It's not a color I'm used to wearing."

Now that was an understatement if ever he heard one, Lotor turning teasing. "Yes, I don't think I've ever seen you in anything but shades of pink and white before we arrived on Simestia."

"I happen to like pink." She sounded a tad defensive, Lotor holding in a chuckle.

"So I've noticed."

"Do you have a favorite color?" It was a simple question, but one that took him by surprise. Lotor actually had to pause, to think on what his answer could possible be. He knew immediately that red would not be his preferred color, not after all the blood he had seen spilt by Zarkon. Allura would shift in her seat, her curious eyes on him. She didn't seem to realize what a difficult question she had asked for someone who hadn't had time to properly appreciate colors. Lotor couldn't even remember coloring as a child, any happy memories lost to the horrible ones.

Allura was tied into the few good memories he did have. Those brief moments when he had cornered her on Arus, and the time spent with her traveling to Simestia. He looked at her, taking in the whole of her, from her peaches and cream complexion, to the striking blue of her eyes. And then knew what his answer was. "Gold." Lotor said out loud, staying rooted to the spot. "I like gold."

"Gold...?" Allura repeated, looking like she wanted to frown. "Because it's the color of money?"

"Because it's the color of your hair." Lotor corrected her, eyes on her as he inched towards her. "Your hair has always made me think of sunshine, trapped in a form that can actually be touched. Warm without burning, soft..." He bent over her, his fingers finding their way into her hair. It was ridiculous how much it pleased him to be touching her like this, but he couldn't stop the small smile from coming out.

"Lotor..." She was lifting her head to stare up at him, her own expression troubled. He didn't want to hear whatever she was about to say to ruin the moment, Lotor pressing fingers to her lips.

"Allura, just...just let me have this moment." He begged her, his other hands still caressing over her hair. Lotor should have known she'd ignore him, Allura speaking over his fingers.

"I can't imagine the kind of environment you grew up in." She said. "I can't begin to imagine the true extent of the horrors you've seen. It's a testament to your inner strength, that you've survived what he did. What he continues to do..."

"I don't feel very strong..." Lotor admitted with a whisper. He started to pull back from her, but Allura reached up to catch his hands.

"But you are. You've come through Zarkon's abuse with your mind and your SOUL intact. You could have been corrupted, could have been remade into his image. That you don't try to hurt people, that you don't repeat his crimes, it is amazing. A true miracle that is a testament to the strength of your soul and your morals."

"I could never be like him." Lotor told her. "I could never, ever do the things that he does."

"I'm beginning to realize that." She smiled, but it was troubled. "I used to think the worse of you. I didn't want to believe the son of that monster could be anything but exactly like Zarkon. I didn't try, didn't want to see the person you really are. I let that same refusal blind me to the possibility that not all Drule are bad. I've handle a lot of things wrong..."

"What matters is that you see us now, that you see the people we are, and not the people Zarkon led you to be afraid of." Lotor told her. She nodded her head in agreement.

"My eyes have been opened. To so many things..." Allura's look was a determined one, the princess slowly letting go of Lotor's face. "To so many wrongs that NEED to be corrected."

He had a sinking feeling he knew where she was going to go with this conversation, Lotor turning uneasy. "Allura..."

"It has to be us Lotor." She quickly said, her words almost stubborn now. "We're the only ones in the position to know what is truly going on with the Drule. The rest of the Galaxy doesn't know, doesn't care to find out. They use excuses to write off the Drule as evil. They'll continue to fight these wars, intent on wiping out not only Zarkon, but the Drules themselves. We can't allow that."

He had straightened, but she had grabbed him by the arm to keep Lotor from walking away. "I know you don't believe it's possible now. None of you believe in the chance to take out Zarkon existing. That's all right. I have enough belief for all of us! With Voltron leading the charge, we can do this! We can end the reign of that monster, and bring peace and safety to the galaxy."

"Don't you see, Lotor?" Allura continued, fingers gripping his arm so hard her nails dug into the fabric of his shirt. "There will be no more need for fighting. The healing can begin, the galaxy working together to recover from all Zarkon has done to it."

"You think it's that easy?" Lotor's words came out more harsh than he would have liked. "You think the rest of the worlds will just get over decades of hatred and fear of my people? That the animosity will just go away once Zarkon is dead?"

"It won't go away so long as he lives, and continues to terrorize everyone!" Allura quickly pointed out. "The suffering has to stop, so that the healing can begin. Arus would do whatever it took to help mend relationships between Doom and the rest of the galaxy! I swear it!"

"Don't make promises your people may not be willing to uphold." He told her, his tone reprimanding. But there was truth in what he was saying, and Allura had to understand. Her people might not be willing to help the Drule, might not be willing to forget the things done to them, the terror they had lived with for some twenty years.

"My people will follow my lead." Allura said it without flinching. "And I will lead them by example. If I can put aside the past and what was done to me..."

"What was done to you?" He quickly seized upon those words. "You would be willing to bring out the truth?"

She hesitated now. "There is more than enough horror to pick and choose from. More than enough for me to forgive and forget." It was blatant in how she wanted him to do the same, Allura sending up a clear message she did not want him prying any further.

"I don't think we could ever completely forget the things that were done to us." Lotor was talking from experience, eyeing her carefully. He wanted so badly to know, to use that knowledge to help her heal. It frustrated him that she wasn't ready to share, that she might never be ready to share.

"Then we can only move on, and try not to look at the past too closely." Allura replied.

"That's all fine and well, except when the past affects you as strongly as yours does." Lotor pointed out. She got that shifty look in her eyes, Allura not wanting to hear what he had to say. "Sooner or later Allura, you're going to have to deal with what happened..."

"I..." A knock sounded on the bedroom door, startling them both. "You better answer that."

Lotor gave her a look, expression one that said this discussion was not over with. It had just been delayed, Lotor curious as to who would come to this room, and for what reason. He sincerely hoped there wasn't a new problem, Lotor walking over to open the door. He wasn't quite angry, as he unlocked and opened it, and still he wasn't able to keep from growling at the man waiting on the other side of the door.

"What!"

Ryder took one look at him, his own eyes narrowing. The Drule with the blue streaked hair didn't bother to question Lotor's mood, didn't seem to care that he had obviously interrupted something. His gold eyes locked with Lotor's, Ryder letting out his own gruff growl.

"We need to talk."

Lotor stared at him, instinctively knowing it had to be something serious that Ryder had come to him about. A million what ifs began to race through his mind, Lotor wondering, fearing that something even more problematic than the situation Allura had created with the priestess had happened. A part of him even wondered if Allura had caused another incident, Lotor turning to cast a suspicious look at the princess. She had risen from the love seat, her curious eyes turning concerned in response to the look Lotor had given her.

"It's nothing she did." Ryder said in Drule, having followed where Lotor's suspicions led them. "Not this time at any rate."

"That's good to hear." Lotor replied, also speaking in Drule. "Then if not Allura, then what?"

But Ryder didn't immediately answer, gazing past him at Allura. "Don't think this is a conversation you want to be having with her around."

Lotor was surprised. What could Ryder want to talk about that, that he felt even with the barrier the Drule language was to Allura, it wouldn't give him and Lotor enough privacy? Lotor couldn't say for certain, though a sinking feeling inside him had the prince suspecting it was something that just might agitate and stir his emotions. There wasn't many conversation topics that could have that kind of effect on Lotor. In fact the key trigger to upsetting Lotor was to try and bring up the past, bring up the things Zarkon had done.

He was taking too long to respond, Ryder shifting in impatience. The dark haired Drule continued to stare at Allura, but it was Lotor he addressed. "Send her away, Lotor..."'

"What's going on?" Allura interjected herself into the conversation. "Why do you both keep staring at me?"

"It's nothing..." Lotor started to say, and she shook her head.

"Don't tell me it's nothing! Anyone can see Ryder's upset." She was walking towards them. "Is it the Voltron Force? Or the body of the fake Lotor? Has the ruse been discovered? Are people looking for us?"

All good questions, ones he would ask Ryder later. "Don't worry so much, Allura." Lotor said in basic. "Ryder's just in a bad mood." He tried to smirk then. "Has been in one ever since that priestess became a guest of ours." From behind him, he heard Ryder's annoyed growl which only added credence to what Lotor had said. Ryder's mood had indeed suffered, to the point it was noticeable to everyone around him. Even Lotor with his own preoccupation's hadn't failed to realize something was bothering the dark haired Drule. There was something about the priestess, something that rubbed Ryder the wrong way. Lotor couldn't understand what that something could be, the woman seeming perfectly lovely in all aspects from looks to personality.

The other Drule males seemed to be of that same opinion. Many of them were delighting in Alexandria's continued presence in the mansion. By the time last night's cook out had ended, more than a handful of unattached Drule males had been competing for the priestess attention. She was causing quite a stir, a lovely Drule human hybrid that did not judge or hate the Drules for what their ancestors had done to her world and her people.

Allura was looking at Ryder now, who seemed to be glowering in response to Lotor's comment. "It's a terrible inconvenience." Ryder said through grit teeth, speaking for once in basic. "You and that...woman have caused us nothing but trouble."

"I'm sure the trouble we've caused is nothing compared to the inconvenience you're causing Alexandria with your insistence she remain here." Allura quickly retorted. "She has a life, one I'm sure didn't need any more upheaval."

"You should have thought of that before you insisted on spilling all with that confession of yours." Snapped Ryder, and Allura's expression took on an insulted look.

"I was only trying to get back to my people!" She wasn't quite shouting now. "To do what you lot won't."

"Listen princess..." Ryder started to step forward, Lotor's arm quickly shooting out to prevent the angry Drule from getting any closer to Allura. He continued to growl, glaring harder at the princess. "Do not play judgmental with me, or with anyone else here in the mansion! There are things you don't know, the reasons behind our actions. And to act like you do know everything, just shows how ignorant you truly are!"

Allura's mouth had fallen open with a gasp. "You...how dare you!" She exclaimed. "I don't care what your reasons are! Running away, abandoning the rest of Doom, the rest of the galaxy to Zarkon? That is not an okay thing to do! And until you realize that, I'll judge you all I want!"

"Allura! Ryder!" snapped Lotor, as the two glowered at each other. "Enough!"

"She has no right, Lotor!" Ryder grumbled. "No right to talk to any of us that way!"

"Don't I?" Allura asked, her voice soft but her words no less challenging.

"Allura, drop it." Lotor ordered, which drew her angry gaze to him now. "I have to speak to Ryder now. Go on to the dining room. We'll catch up soon enough."

"You're trusting me to go there by myself?" She was angry, her surprise coming out snide sounding.

"Yes, I'm trusting you." Lotor emphasized the word. "Allura, I don't want to have to keep you locked up, or under constant guard. Please don't put my trust into question, by trying to escape."

She was staring at him, searching his gaze as though Allura still didn't believe in the trust he was showing her. "All right." Allura sighed them. "I'll wait for you in the dining room."

"Try not to get lost on your way to it." Ryder was snide, his meaning clear. The Drule didn't trust that Allura wouldn't take a detour, that she wouldn't try to find some way to escape the mansion, or get away long enough to send a message to Arus.

"I think I can manage that much." Allura had turned haughty, head held high as she walked past both Drules. Lotor stood in the doorway, watching her head towards the staircase at the end of the hall. Ryder wasn't content to wait, the man immediately speaking in Drule to him.

"Why didn't you tell me you've been here before?"

Lotor didn't so much as flinch, his eyes still on the retreating figure of Allura. "Didn't think it would matter."

"Didn't think it would matter?" Ryder's voice exploded into a shout, the sound causing Allura to turn around startled. Lotor smiled reassuringly at her, waving for her to continue on her way. She gave an uncertain look towards Ryder, as though Allura couldn't believe the man hadn't erupted into violence yet.

"Calm yourself, or Allura will become even more suspicious than she already is." Lotor told him, his tone so quiet in response to Ryder's raised voice.

"That girl is too nosy for her own damn good." Grumbled Ryder in a soft tone. Allura gave them one more look, before turning back to the staircase.

"It's part of her charm." Lotor defended, then smiled. "Did you see how she reacted? It's more than curiosity. She wanted to make sure you weren't going to attack me."

"I have a good mind to punch you." Ryder retorted, hardly impressed by what Lotor had observed. "Lotor, why did you lie about this place?"

"I told no lies." Allura had already disappeared down the staircase, so Lotor turned to look at Ryder.

"It was a lie of omission!" Ryder snapped with a glower. "You purposefully kept quiet that you've been to this planet before. That you've stayed in this very mansion. You made it sound like it had been decades since the Drule last came to this world! That this is a world that was supposed to be abandon by Zarkon!"

"And it is."

"He was here as recent as nineteen years ago! That doesn't sound as abandoned or as forgotten as I would like!" Ryder retorted.

"He's not going to suddenly put in a surprise visit here, if that's what you're worried about." Lotor told him. "Simestia is the last world Zarkon wants to bother with. It's been that way since she died..."

"Your mother..." Ryder's voice has quieted out of respect. "That's another thing..." He said, after Lotor nodded. "Why would you agree to come back to this place, this mansion specifically? With all the bad memories here..."

"I see Allura's not the only one the priestess has been running her mouth off too..." Lotor grumbled darkly.

"In this case I'm glad. I know you, Lotor. I know how you like to keep things bottled in. You'd make damn sure not to tell anyone all that has happened to you. And that can't be healthy." Ryder sighed, and ran a hand through his blue and black hair. "You let that shit poison you. You keep it bottled up inside, determined not to share the worst of it."

"I don't want anyone's pity."

"Yeah, I get that. So instead you let everyone believe what they want about you. That you are as bad as that monster Zarkon. You let them build up this horrible reputation for you, and then you just sit back and let them attack you. It's something I've watched you do for over ten years now! And I for one am sick of it!" Ryder exclaimed, his face twisting into a grimace.

"What do you want me to do!" demanded Lotor. "If they won't pity me, then they'll laugh at me."

"Sure, some might laugh, but those are the people who shouldn't matter." Ryder sighed, then tried a new tactic. "Do you think Allura would laugh to hear everything? Do you honestly believe she's that kind of woman? Because if she is, I'll be the first to tell you to kick her aside, and find someone infinitely more worthwhile."

"No, I don't believe she's like that." Lotor told him. "I think she's too kind hearted a person to ever laugh at another's suffering. Allura's the kind of person who emphasizes too strongly with others...look at how she reacted just hearing a few of the stories of Zarkon's cruelty."

"I heard she had a screaming fit." Ryder said quietly.

"It was a lot to take in, given what she's probably hiding of her own trauma." Lotor sighed. "She's got this strong inner strength about her, but sometimes I think even Zarkon is too much for her to withstand."

"The things Zarkon does is too much for any one person to withstand." Ryder reminded him. "Look, can't say I think you being in this mansion is a good thing. Especially given the memories associated with this place. But...if it starts to get too much for you, and you feel you can't share with Allura, well know that I'll always be here to lend an ear."

"Just like the old days, eh?" Lotor flashed a half hearted smile.

"Not quite." Ryder retorted. "I didn't have to beat the truth out of you first..."

"As if you could ever win against me in a fair fight." Lotor let out a genuine laugh.

"Who said I'd fight fair?" Ryder demanded with a scowl.

"I'd like to think you've matured somewhat in the ten years I've known you." Lotor said. "That the Drule Academy did something right in teaching you about fairness and honor."

"Yeah, they did." Ryder sighed. "I've come a long way from that suicidal fourteen year old spoiling for fights..."

"That you have." Lotor agreed. "We've all been through some changes.."

"Some of haven't been through enough!" Muttered Ryder, then sighed. "Lotor, you're still the same as that kid. Still hiding from what was done from you. Still willing to take a beating from those whose true problems lie with what your father has done."

Lotor had no ready answer in reply to what Ryder had just said. The dark haired Drule had hit on an awful truth, Lotor feeling as though in some way he still was that abused fourteen year old who had entered the Drule Military Academy. Hiding his scars, and taking upon him the hate and animosity of those who could not understand that he too shared the pain of what Zarkon did. What Zarkon continued to do.

Ryder hadn't been the first student to attack Lotor. There had been others, coming at him in groups. Boys who were nothing more than frightened children, upset over the things that had been done to their families. Lotor was not only a convenient target, he was an accessible one. An infinitely less intimidating target for the boys' rage. They would have never raised a hand to Zarkon, would never have even voiced their upset to the mighty king. But a young prince, on his own, free of his father's reach and the guards of the castle? Oh how they had relished attacking him.

Ryder should have never stood out in a sea of many, the boy holding a grudge just as bad as any other Drule that had chosen to attack Lotor. But as angry as that young Ryder had been, even he still had retained some compassion when he saw the scars on Lotor's back. Even ten years later, Lotor could remember the shocked gasps, the boys all stopping what they were doing to stare at him. To stare at what his torn uniform had revealed. Lotor never forgot that shame, never forgot the many varied looks he had received. There had been horror there, along with pity, and even a few that thought it funny. Ryder had been one of the few to actually offer an apology, backing off him with an unreadable expression.

It would be months later before Lotor would understand the emotions Ryder had been struggling with that day. It would take that long for them to form any semblance of a friendship, Lotor unable and unwilling to trust, and Ryder uncomfortable to share what he himself had been through. The things Zarkon had done to Ryder and his family, the horrors Ryder had been reacting to by taking vengeance out on the only person he thought mattered to the King. Ryder had been deluded, thinking by hurting Lotor, he was somehow making Zarkon pay. It was just sad fact that to the King, not even his own son mattered, or was spared his abuse.

At the Drule Military Academy, every year after started the same. New recruits arriving, and recognizing Lotor. Wanting to beat him, hurt him, even kill him for the things Zarkon was doing to their people. But the years after that first one, didn't have the same outcome. Lotor had not only Ryder, but a multitude of friends, allies who had come to understand the prince was different from the King. For every group of new students that wanted to attack Lotor, there was a larger group ready and willing to even out the odds in a brawl.

He'd impress upon those that once viewed him as a target and enemy, his true character. Even those that hated him for simply being born of Zarkon's blood, found themselves reluctantly coming to admire the prince. Some of the very Drules that had once tried to torment Prince Lotor, were now present here on Simestia. They were bonded to each, brothers who endured not only the rigors of the Drule Military Academy, but suffered loss and abuse at Zarkon's hands.

"It's not a problem." Lotor finally said. "As far as the rest of the galaxy is concerned, I'm dead. I won't have to be Zarkon's whipping boy any longer." Ryder seemed to fidget besides him, looking as though he had something more to say. But when Lotor tried to question him, the dark haired Drule merely shook his head no. Whatever it was, it was something Ryder didn't think important enough to reveal.

"Come on." Lotor said, gesturing for Ryder to follow him. "It's time we join the others, and get some breakfast."

Ryder gave a weak sounding laugh. "We'll be lucky if there's anything left by this time."

Lotor couldn't even manage a chuckle, still thinking about that which was better off forgotten. The memories weren't content to be shoved aside, chasing after Lotor as he made his way down the staircase. The memories would stir restlessly, imposing themselves on him even minutes later when he walked into the dining room. The conversations did not stop at his entrance. The people gathered in the room glanced up at him with warm, welcoming expressions. Allura was one of them, the princess locking concerned eyes with him. Lotor smiled back at her, fervently hoping his own eyes didn't betray how haunted he felt in the moment.

I freaking hate this chapter, and am glad it's over with! X_X Oh man do I hate it...and I didn't even get it as far as I wanted...and I feel the conversations suck, and I sucked it up big time for the bits about Lotor and Ryder's past...HATE THIS CHAPTER!

I want to say...okay...it didn't happen in depth in this chapter, but later on in a Ryder POV...I do get to go more in detail about him...so if you knew how much I had wanted to cover in this chapter with Ryder and Lotor, but couldn't get it to flow...you'd understand the hate I have for this chapter and my failure. -_-

To Be Continued

Michelle

Wade Wells, thanks my friend! Glad to see you're still reading! :D Ah, it was close but of course I couldn't let Allura get things her way just yet. I mean, if she were to go back to Arus now, none of the couples would actually happen! That would be sad...at least I think it would be! I mean not only do I have to work on Allura developing some romantic feelings in return to Lotor's, but I got Ryder and Alexandria, and Keith and Mara too! Plus a fourth couple but they are not a POV characters, so they happen sorta in the background. And I am ever so glad you got to the very fun to write Ryder meets Alexandria chapter! Heh...I love writing him with her! It might be shocking, but Ryder and Alexandria have become my fave pairing for this fic! I have too much fun with them! XD


	29. Chapter 29

Breakfast inside the mansion was always a crowded, claustrophobic affair. The room didn't seem large enough to house all the Drules, every available seat taken. Not all of them could sit at one of the three tables inside the room, a few actually balancing trays on their laps instead. There was only the narrowest of paths to navigate between tables and seats, people couldn't help but bump and brush against one another.

No one seemed to actually mind the crowded conditions. In fact, more people would arrive, latecomers who had spent the nights inside the cottages on the property's grounds. With the wiring so damaged, and power all but nonexistent, a big group meal was the preferred method for feeding everyone. They spent their mornings crowded in the dining room, while lunch and dinner was usually held outside.

Allura preferred the outside meals for then she didn't feel quite so overwhelmed by the number of Drules clustered around her. Outside on the property's grounds, the people were spread out. Close but not so near as to give her a claustrophobic feeling. Of course there was other disadvantages to eating outside, chief among the lowering temperature as the night blew in.

It was hot and muggy this day. Sunlight tried to stream in through the windows, though the curtains had been drawn over them. It left the room in shadows, though couldn't give them the illusion that it was cooler than it was. It was times like this, that Allura looked forward to the wiring being repaired. The simple luxuries she had taken for granted, were never more missed than they were now.

It really was like roughing it. Their lights limited to the sun and to the battery operated lanterns the Drule had brought with them. It would be a relief when they could adjust the building's temperature, Allura thinking it a small blessing the plumbing was a separate system that still function independent of the damaged wiring.

She both wanted the wiring fixed, and didn't. Because the sooner the wiring was repaired, the sooner the Drules could move on to the next stage of their plans. They would actively begin working on establishing new identities for the people present here. They would create and falsify documents, make the paper trails needed for someone to start their life over elsewhere. Allura couldn't begin to properly estimate how long it would take for a group as large as this one to get the proper documentation ready. But whatever time she did have left, it was simply too short for Allura's liking. Not only was her time limited, Allura felt she had near impossible tasks set out before her. How was she to escape, or be rescued when no one seemed to know she was even gone? Sometimes it felt like the only option left to her, was for Allura to convince Lotor and these Drules how wrong it was to turn their back on the Denubian Galaxy. What seemed like an easy realization for her, was not for these Drules. They were too scarred, too damaged by Zarkon's evil. But Allura didn't know how to help them to heal! How could she convince them to overcome their pasts, to not only recover from what was done to them and their people, but motivate them to want to fight the tyrant that had so abused them?

Allura simply didn't know. Everyone was different. From their reactions to how they chose to handle the things that upset them. Allura herself was a fighter. Had been for most of her life. Her parents had been killed, her own father slain by Zarkon's hands when Allura was still just a child. She had spent a good portion of her life living underground, afraid of open spaces for so long. Afraid to come out when the sun was shining, and rooting around in the darkness searching for enough food to keep on living. She had seen and heard the things that happened to her people, witnessed some horrors first hand. She had even fallen into the hands of a soldier, an event she didn't want to think about too closely, but an event she could acknowledge as having survived.

All the adversity, all the suffering had shaped her. Molded her into the woman she now was. And though she sometimes got scared, depressed, even panic stricken, Allura had never thought of abandoning her life and her people. Running away was simply not an option for the likes of her. She couldn't even properly understand Lotor and these Drule's reasons, Allura feeling you only got stronger when you faced that which you feared.

She didn't know how to make the Drules understand that though! Allura had the feeling she could talk herself blue in the face, and they would still insist they were doing the only thing they could, as if running was the only choice left to them. She didn't know how to make them understand that they had other options, that now that Allura herself knew the truth, they had a champion in her, in Arus. Her planet would do everything possible to aid the Drule in their quest for freedom. Lotor didn't believe in the people of Arus uniting to help the Drule. But Allura believed the best of her people, and knew they would look past their own fears and prejudices to help her help the Drule.

Allura knew she had to get these people to trust her. When trust came, perhaps the rest would follow. As it stood now, she wasn't sure if they even LIKED her. And she couldn't blame them, given how she had acted on the journey to Simestia. And even how she had acted just a day ago. Only one day ago, her eyes had still been blinded. Allura had still believed the worse of the Drule, and her attitude had reflected it.

Allura could admit when she had been wrong. Not only admit it, but move to correct such behavior. The Drules were clearly still adjusting to this new change in Allura, wary but open to accepting her. Of course she had set things back a bit, with her most recent attempt to facilitate a rescue. They all knew by now, that Allura had tried to use the priestess to get a message out to Arus. They knew she had betrayed the trust Lotor had had in her, and they were rightfully worried and wary that she would do so again. And she would, though her reasons were not born out of malice. Just as these Drule were doing what they felt they had to, Allura had to do what she felt was right.

It meant if given the chance, she would try to get out another message. It didn't make her feel good to know she would upset these people, but the thought of their disappointment was nothing compared to the thought of the galaxy continuing to suffer under Zarkon's tyranny. She was a responsible person, and at times the weight of it burdened her. Never had she felt a more pressing need, then when it came to saving the galaxy from that monster.

To fulfill that need, she'd do just about anything. Allura would earn the trust of these people, earn it with the intent to betray it, if it meant succeeding at the greater good. It didn't mean she wouldn't feel guilt. In fact, she already felt the stirrings of it, Allura not one to purposefully manipulate and betray. The fact that Lotor continued to try and believe the best of her when he had put her in an impossible situation? It both flattered and troubled her. She could acknowledge the value in his trust in her, recognize how hard it must be for Lotor to trust anyone after all he been through. It was downright surprising that he would maintain some sort of trust in her, especially given how recent Allura's attempt to get rescued had been.

She wasn't the only one surprised by that trust. The Drules gathered her had been shocked to see Allura enter into the dining room, alone and unaccompanied. If they had known that Ryder had gone to see their prince, it hadn't registered that the dark haired Drule would insist on speaking with Lotor alone. That had been an interesting observation she had had, Allura more curious than ever as to what Ryder had wanted to speak to Lotor about. Especially given how the Drule had felt even speaking a language she did not understand, was not enough barrier for the privacy he wanted. It left Allura thoughtful, the girl wondering just what he was telling Lotor that he felt the prince's reactions alone would betray what was being said.

Somehow Allura didn't think a rescue was coming. It wasn't anything Ryder had said or done. It was just a feeling Allura had to go on. It made her want to sigh, Allura sitting distracted at the breakfast table. There was a seat to her right that was empty. Everyone rightfully assumed Prince Lotor would sit next to her. In fact he would insist on it, the prince never far from Allura's side without a good reason.

To the left of Allura was a woman, one of the more scale covered Drules. She wasn't what would be considered pleasing to a human's eyes, her features too distinctly reptilian and alien in nature. But she seemed nice enough, if quiet, the female answering Allura's questions. Not that Allura had much to say! She was still getting to know these people, and it left her with the odd sense of being tongue tied. She didn't want to constantly be bothering them about Zarkon and the life they had had on Doom. Allura was still a stranger, beloved by these people's prince though she may be, it didn't give her the right to badger them. Nor could she assume their friendships were a given. She had to earn it, as much as any trust she could get.

Across from her, and a little ways down to the right, sat the priestess. Two Drule males had taken the seats next to her, and more clustered in as close as they dared. They were all smiles and attentive looks, eager to please and impress Alexandria. It was rather amusing to watch the males preen and posture for her, the men quick to tell stories, and even quicker to fetch anything the priestess desired. Not that she abused this, Alexandria content to sit there and enjoy her meal with minimal assistance from the overeager males.

But they tried for more, handing her things on a pretext to touch her hand. It was the touching that got to Allura, the princess realizing the males were taking liberties they had never tried with herself. She wondered at that, not realizing or understanding that the Drule males were conscious of just who Allura was considered belonging to. None of them wanted to rouse Lotor's jealousy, none of them wanted to be on the wrong side of an angry, possessively predatory Drule. Alexandria had no man. She was considered fair game until she made a decision if any, on who she would deign to belong to.

Not that Allura saw Alexandria as taking up with a Drule! The priestess wasn't here for romance, and might very well have taken some kind of vows against that kind of behavior. Nor did Allura think Alexandria would be quick to take up a relationship that for all intents and purposes would be a one time fling. She was a holy woman after all, and rules and regulations aside, Allura thought Alexandria was the type who would insist on a true commitment.

Allura was the same way. She wasn't the type of woman to just give herself over to quick nights of passion that would ultimately be meaningless. She wanted a real commitment, wanted a man who would love, honor and respect her. And not just her, but her people! Allura wanted a partner who would feel the same way she did, a man who would care beyond just herself. A man who could dedicate his energies towards improving the less fortunate lives. A man who was brave and bold, as well as generous and charitable. A man who would fight for freedom, a man who would stand up and stop a tyrant like Zarkon.

She was coming to realize Lotor had some good qualities about him. He cared enough about the Drule, to donate out of his own pocket the money needed to establish charities that funded all manner of programs. And he clearly cared about the Drules who had traveled with him to Simestia. He had brought as many as he could, all on the hopes to save them from Zarkon's abuse. But there was negatives to what he was doing, Allura having pointed out he was leaving behind so many more of his people to suffer at Zarkon's hands.

Lotor didn't believe it was possible to save everyone. He'd rather save a few, than risk losing everyone. It wasn't exactly a wrong thought to have, but Allura was the opposite of him. To her it was unacceptable so long as even one person was left behind to suffer. What good was saving a few, if millions more were in trouble? She knew the answer Lotor would give her would have them believe they couldn't save everyone. It made her sigh just thinking like that, Allura an optimist, a believer who truly felt they had to at least make the effort to try.

As things stood now, Lotor was not her ideal man. He wasn't even close. He would continue to distance himself from Allura's ideals so long as Lotor insisted on running. He actually frustrated her with this kind of behavior and attitude. Allura understood Lotor had been through something terrible. All the Drules gathered here had. But so had Allura! And she wasn't letting those terrible ordeals stop her from fighting.

Sometimes she wanted to push aside her plate, and start shouting. Scream at the Drules for not fighting. But it was an impulse she could restrain, Allura knowing she wouldn't make friends that way. It had been bad enough what she had said to Ryder, Allura not dare hoping he'd keep quiet to the others about it. She truly didn't mean to be judgmental, but neither could Allura stop from being disappointed. From understanding she was ready to do what these people were not.

The conversations around her didn't stop. She wasn't sure what alerted her to the fact Lotor had entered the room. Allura certainly hadn't heard his or Ryder's footsteps. But a new energy had filled the Drules, many glancing at the open doorway to smile in greeting. She looked that way too, locking eyes with Lotor. Her look was concerned, a question there as she gazed at him. Lotor would do a subtle shake of his head, which told her nothing of what had occurred with Ryder.

Besides Lotor was Ryder, the Drule's jaw clenching. His eyes had sought out the priestess, and the sight he saw did not please Ryder in the slightest. The faintest of growling could be heard, the conversations not able to drown it out. Lotor would break eye contact with Allura to stare surprised at Ryder. The dark haired Drule didn't apologize, didn't offer up any reason for the sound. If anything he looked even angrier, stalking past Lotor to grab a seat out from under another man. That Drule looked like he wanted to protest, right up until he saw the anger on Ryder's face. The anger was enough to back the other Drule down, the man grabbing his plate and hurrying over to a corner of the room.

Ryder had turned the chair, straddling it backwards. He was ignoring the food, letting his angry gaze sweep over Alexandria and the men around her. He didn't say anything, he just glared. It was hostile enough to make several of the less bold males nervous. They turned visibly flustered, no longer paying quite as close attention to the priestess. It was all right, there were several other men who seemed not to care one bit about Ryder's anger.

Alexandria seemed to falter in the midst of speaking, her gaze darting towards Ryder. His glare didn't lessen. One of the Drules took it upon himself to distract the priestess from Ryder's fit, taking hold of her hand in both of his. He was speaking in Drule to her, tone flirtatious and low as he gazed into Alexandria's green eyes. She didn't quite blush, Allura thinking Alexandria was trying to figure out how to get her hand free without giving the man insult.

"Hey." Lotor was suddenly besides her, his presence drawing Allura's gaze away from the men and the priestess. He was lowering himself into the empty seat, but his look was distracted. Was he thinking about the conversation with Ryder? Or was there something more that bothered him?

"Hi there." Allura murmured back, watching as Lotor began piling fruits and cold grain into a bowl. "Are you all right?" She kept her voice low, so as not to draw attention to her questions. The conversation continued around them, no one trying to jump in to catch Lotor's attention.

"I'm fine." Lotor assured her.

Allura didn't bother to point out that he didn't look as fine as he claimed. Instead her brow furrowed, Allura unconsciously showing her worry, as she asked. "Is everything all right between you two?"

"Everything is fine." Lotor answered. "Ryder was just concerned about some things."

"Things? What things?" Allura wanted to know. She was prying, digging for answers that might let her know if the ruse the Drules had perpetrated was coming undone.

Lotor hesitated. "Just about this place. And about Simestia, and how interested Zarkon might still be in this world."

"Oh."

"It's been a long time since Zarkon last set foot on this planet." Continued Lotor. "I don't see him as ever wanting to come back here. We're safe." The last was said as though Lotor needed the reassurance as much as Allura or the Drules did.

"Safe..." She repeated. "Maybe we are. But what about the rest of the Denubian Galaxy?" That made Lotor sigh, the prince picking at his food. Allura wanted to sigh too, especially when it became apparent that Lotor was just going to ignore the question! "Lotor..."

He was saved from having to acknowledge what she had said by one of the women present at the table. It was Tamestra, the Drule female who had been just one of over a dozen that had shared her own tragic past with Allura. There had been many stories, much sadness and grief. Allura had done her best to remember them all, to remember the faces that went with the stories.

"Princess, I am curious..." Tamestra was saying. "Just what is Arus like?"

"Arus?" Allura blinked in surprise. Several of the Drules closest to them had stopped talking, also looking interested.

"Many of us have never been to Arus." Tamestra explained. "We've no experience with your world. We only know what Zarkon tells us."

Allura had a feeling Zarkon hadn't painted the best picture of Arus or her people. "What are the kind of things Zarkon has said about my world?"

Tamestra shifted in her seat. "Not nearly enough to justify his reasons for wasting so many lives in trying to conquer your world. We know Arus is farming planet, it's lands rich and fertile. We've been led to believe the lands could sustain a great many people, food being grown to help feed the starving on Doom."

"Arus is a fertile world." Agreed Allura. "I've certainly thought over the years that we do not have enough of anything to merit the kind of attention Zarkon gives us. Yes, we have land...but what else is there? We have little resources, little money or gems...little to sell but the food we grow."

"You have Voltron." Vorlac had joined in on the conversation, the man having drifted closer to the table to hear what was being said. "That robot alone is enough to get many a person lusting for the power it can give them."

"Voltron." By this point Alexandria had gotten back her hand. "Is it really all that powerful?"

She was given strange looks. The looks turned understanding once Lotor explained. "Simestia is a world long cut off from most of the galaxy." He reminded the Drules. "As such, I very much doubt any of the people here know of Voltron, let alone the power that mighty defender possesses."

"Voltron is impressive." Vorlac told her. "I dare say you'll never see a robot quite like it in all of the galaxy."

"My father's creation is composed of five lesser robots." Allura began. "Ships crafted in the shape of lions."

"Maybe you consider them lesser creations, but I can tell you this much...the lions alone have caused Doom plenty of trouble!" Vorlac exclaimed. "I shudder to think of what would have happened if there had been more than one Voltron to contend with."

"Lions..." Alexandria murmured.

"Lions are the symbol of royalty on Arus." Allura told her. "They have blessed and watched over my family for generations."

"Just how did Arus come to associate with lions?" Lotor asked her, an honest to God expression of curiosity on his face. "I've been to your world many times. Been to nearly all of it. I've never seen any sign of living lions prowling the land."

Allura had to think carefully. "You know, I'm not sure exactly. We've felt the lions' blessing for so long...they are a sacred and holy beast on Arus...long admired and revered. It's different on Earth...lions are a plentiful species on that world."

"Perhaps Arus has some connection to that world." Mused Lotor. "The humans of Earth did help to settle many a planet...maybe Arus was one of them."

"If they have, the records have been lost." Allura sighed. "Zarkon has not been the first power mad tyrant to try and enslave Arus. He's just been the most recent. Much of our history, the ancient records have been lost or fragmented during the many wars that befell Arus over the course of several hundred years. We've been shaped and molded by the people who have won those wars..."

"Ah, that I can understand and sympathize with." Alexandria said. "When Zarkon first came to Simestia, he did his best to change our very culture. Even our religion was affected. Little remains of the original Simestia, and the people who remember the world as it was before Zarkon, many of them are old enough their memories are being affected."

"It's bad enough what Zarkon does, without having to destroy a people's culture!" grumbled Allura. "You should try to take back what was lost... "

"It is fear of Zarkon's return that keeps most of Simestia honoring the changes." Alexandria explained. "But there's is also the fact that to the newer generations, we know nothing of the old ways. We were born into this changed culture, it's all we really know. People cling to what is familiar...I believe many of the younger folk would resist this attempt at change."

"The people themselves have been changed." Pointed out Vorlac to Allura's surprise. "Their blood has been mingled with the Drule. It may have been thinned out over the generations, but you and your people still retain characteristics of the race. You're something more than human now."

"What do you mean?" Allura asked, looking at him.

"We still consider ourselves human, though Vorlac is right. The breeding with the Drule has affected the very blood within our veins." Alexandria lifted a hand, fingers caressing over her right ear. Allura glanced away when she heard Ryder let out another growl, the princess not knowing what Alexandria had done was considered very provocative to a Drule!

"It's not just the ears." Vorlac explained. "If you went to the city, you'd see. The people there are almost all changed. Some have the Drule eyes, some even have the Drule coloring their skin faintly. I wouldn't be surprised if some didn't have the fangs!"

"Some indeed do." Confirmed Alexandria.

"It must have been shocking to your people when the first babies were born with these features..." Allura said.

"It was shocking, but expected giving what Zarkon had his men do to the women of Simestia." Alexandria's gaze lowered, one of the men sitting next to her actually putting a hand over hers in a show of comfort. It only drew another growl from Ryder, making a few people laugh nervously.

"Is there something on your mind Ryder?" Lotor asked, a hint of a grin expressed with his mouth. "Something you'd care to share with the rest of us?"

Ryder's look was hostile, the Drule managing to take his eyes off the priestess. "No, nothing."

"Are you sure?" asked Vorlac, not even bothering to hide his grin. It earned him a glare from the dark haired Drule, which only made Vorlac laugh harder. "Well, someone's gotten up from the wrong bed this morning."

"Don't you mean the wrong side of bed?" asked Allura, surprised when Vorlac smirked.

"I got it right the first time."

"Oh." She didn't really understand. What bed was Ryder supposed to have been in then?

Lotor placed a hand on Allura's, smiling at her when she looked his way. He didn't try to explain what Vorlac meant by that comment, Lotor just content to stroke fingers along Allura's skin.

"We've never been a rich planet when it comes to money." Allura looked at Tamestra now. "The situation grew even worse once Zarkon devastated our world, our cities ruined, our people hiding underground. Many died during that time, starved or needing medicine. Even once we reclaimed the planet, we don't always have the money needed to buy medicines from other worlds, or to update our equipment. Arus is a pretty poor planet in that way..."

"No medicines?" asked Alexandria, a shocked look on her face. "Could you not find what you needed in the wild?"

"Once yes, but..." Allura sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "A lot of the land was or is being destroyed during the fights with Doom. Zarkon has no qualms about razing the land, burning down our fields and our crops. Some of the wild herbs are currently lost to us. They might never grow again."

"Simestia was fortunate in that." Alexandria said. "Our cities may have been destroyed, but the wild lands were left alone. We were able to reclaim from them seeds and saplings, using them to repopulate our greenhouse. Nearly everything we need for herbal remedies is available to us on this land. I dare say even this property has a few wild herbs growing."

Qualenn the nurse, had entered the room in time to hear that. "I wouldn't mind seeing some of those herbs." She said. "We brought what we could with us, but our stock is not as complete as I would have liked."

"You should give a list to Vorlac for when he goes into town." Suggested Lotor.

"Herbs and medicines can be expensive." Reminded Qualenn. "If we could pick some of what we need off the mansion's grounds..." She looked at the priestess. "Would you know the herbs if you saw them in the wild?"

"I am a bit of an herbalist." Explained Alexandria. "I would not know them all, but I would be able to recognize some of the more basic ingredients for the medical remedies."

"Really?" Qualenn was visibly excited now. "Would you do that for me? Please?"

"If that is what you wish." Answered Alexandria. "I could get on it right after this meal."

"Not alone you won't." Grumbled Ryder, a look of distrust in his eyes.

"I wouldn't try to escape." Protested Alexandria, but the males near her were speaking. They were excited, offering their services to escort the pretty priestess around the property. Their eagerness to spend more time with Alexandria was apparent, might even be downright embarrassing. As was the fact the males were starting to evil eye one another, each one intent on being the priestess' ONLY escort.

Tension was mounting among the males gathered around the priestess. Allura was beginning to wonder if there would be an out and out fight, when Ryder slammed a fist on the table. "None of you are going anywhere with HER." He scowled, his look so angry it stopped most of the protests from being formed.

"I don't know Ryder..." grinned Vorlac. "She can't exactly go out there alone. She needs an escort."

"Well, it's not going to be any of this miserable lot!" Ryder said hotly.

"Hey!"

"Look at you all! Slobbering over her. Have you no shame?" Ryder demanded. "She's got you all so bamboozled with a pretty smile, you'd let her walk all over you and right off the property if it suited her."

"We would not!" one protested indignantly.

"Ryder, we NEED those herbs." Qualenn said quietly. "Find someone suitable to send with her, but let Alexandria go out!"

"There's no helping it..." Ryder grumbled, then let out a put upon sigh. "I'll have to go."

"YOU?" It wasn't just Alexandria who gasped. The males near her were growling, angry at Ryder.

"You got an objection to it?" Ryder challenged, and Alexandria nodded.

"Yes, I do! I don't want to go anywhere with you!"

"Oh please, priestess!" Qualenn turned a begging tone on Alexandria. "Won't you please do this favor for me?"

Alexandria hesitated. "You really need those herbs?" The nurse nodded. "All right. Then I suppose I can tolerate HIS presence, provided he doesn't try to touch or manhandle me!"

Allura wondered what that meant, Ryder glowering at the priestess. "If you would just do as you're told..." He growled. "There wouldn't have been any need for that touching!" Allura's eyes widened at that, even as Alexandria gasped. She had no idea what exactly had happened, but Allura was making a note to quiz the priestess the next chance she got.

"I don't take orders from you." Retorted the priestess. "Not now, not ever!"

"Which is why we're stuck here with you." Ryder retorted, and nearly lashed out when Vorlac put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ryder, chill out!" The scale covered Drule ordered.

"Yes, Ryder, calm down." Lotor was frowning. "Alexandria is a guest of ours. Please treat her with respect." Ryder muttered something under his breath, but other than that was quiet. It didn't stop him from glaring at anyone who looked his way!

"So what's on the agenda for today?" Another male asked.

"Not much we can do, until the power is restored." Another pointed out.

"I'm thinking of riding out to check the wild herd of cattle that is roaming this property." Vorlac said. "Anyone care to come with me?"

"I would." Lotor said. "I wouldn't mind taking a ride." He glanced at Allura. "What about you, Allura? Care to come along?"

She hesitated, considering his question. Allura was surprised, having realized he had worded it as a request and not as an order. Lotor was actually giving her the option to say no, to spend time away from him. She felt happy that he would allow her a chance to be by herself, Allura feeling it was another sign of trust on his part. Even as Allura knew she would betray that trust if an opportunity presented itself.

"Hmm...I think I'd like to stay in." She finally said. "There's still plenty of time right? We can always go for a ride later..."

He looked disappointed, but Lotor didn't pout. "All right. I guess I can't expect what we're going to do to be very interesting..."

"If the herd is big enough, we might not have to go hunting." Vorlac said happily. "We can get what we need from them and the city shops."

Conversation would continue, turning into talks about money and permits, and how the Drule might need to meet with the city's leaders in order to obtain those permits. To Allura it felt like the Drules were settling in for a long rest on Simestia, which seemed to be a contradiction of Lotor's plans to move on from this galaxy. She wouldn't complain though, Allura feeling the longer they remained on Simestia, the better her chances were. To change Lotor's mind, or to escape. Even rescue was not out of the question, so long as she wasn't constantly being carted all over the galaxy. Allura knew she had to keep the faith, to keep on believing that things would turn out right in the end. And until that happened, she would continue to seek out new ways to manipulate the situation towards her successful return to Arus.

Oh God...I don't know why the chapters keep ending up so long. Especially when half the time I don't know what kind of conversations to write. X_X But I'm pleased with this chapter, except for the ending paragraph. Now I gotta figure out my Ryder POV...I'll be shocked if that chapter isn't a short one. X_X But I think I won't tackle it until I get some sleep!

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Wade Wells, thanks! Hee! Yes, she's stuck with them! *winks* Good thing too...Ryder would have forever avoided her otherwise! XD And thanks again! I am happy to hear it was strong and flowed naturally. *hums merrily.*


	30. Chapter 30

The mansion and its surroundings lands was vast. They stretched on for miles in every direction, several acres worth of territory fit in between the fencing that circled around the property. Ryder didn't yet know what else was on this land, aside from the main building and the surrounding cottages. He knew there was horses, and some kind of cattle that had grown wild and self sufficient by surviving off the land here. There was certainly enough grass for grazing, and supposedly there was the chance of herbs growing wild.

The mansion and the land around it, was meant to be a self sustaining territory. There was a whole section cordoned off for farming, though the crop fields had fallen into disrepair. Things grew there, but wild and erratic, after so many years without a tending hand. The Drules might once again reclaim and tame this land. It all depended on how long they would actually be on Simestia. Right now it looked to be at least several weeks, though months was the preferable time frame for most of the Drules. They wanted to give Haggar the time needed to build up Lotor's armies, but didn't know if they could keep the prince distracted long enough for the witch to accomplish her mission.

They still had time. The damaged wiring had been more fortunate than problematic. With no electricity to power their devices, the Drules couldn't get to work on creating the false identities needed for a new life. Not that they ever intended to really start, but it made things easier to have that excuse as to why things were being delayed. Ryder didn't like lying to Lotor. None of the Drules did, though they all agreed. Lotor wasn't ready to even think about returning to Doom.

It was only the third day into their stay on Simestia. Ryder had to remind himself of that fact in order to fight the impatience he was feeling. An impatience that made him feel agitated, a mood he refused to associate with the priestess sitting before him. He was in denial though, anyone could and did see how the priestess made him feel and act. Ryder a normally easy going Drule, was now openly hostile and glaring at any and everyone. But especially at the priestess!

He glared at her back now, Ryder trying to ignore the fact that Alexandria was in his arms. Her hair tickled against the open chest of his vest, the dark strands silk soft. Her smell tantalized him, Ryder picking up on the fact that she had used a shampoo that was different from her normal brand. It made her hair smell like lilacs, his nostrils flaring every time he breathed it in. He wanted to do more than just smell her. He wanted to pick up her hair, and crush it to his face, rub it over his skin. Hell, he wanted to rub HER over him, to feel the pleasing softness of her body as he buried his face between those large breasts of hers, his hands roaming over her curvaceous back side.

Ryder tried not to growl and failed. He was getting aroused again, the urges he had bringing to mind such vivid images that he couldn't control or stop. He wanted Alexandria. Wanted her with the fiercest desire, an unnatural longing that had to be the work of a witch. Her. This was not the first time Ryder thought the priestess had cast some spell over him. Nor did he think it would be the last, Ryder glaring harder at her though she couldn't see.

Alexandria was sitting before him, her back against his front. She was hardly moving, holding herself stiff in between his arms. They were both on top of a large horse like creature, the stallion a mottled black and white beast. Alexandria's small hands were gripping the creature's mane, while Ryder held onto the reins. She was trapped between his arms, her bottom pressed snug against his groin. He hadn't bothered with a saddle, there simply hadn't been one large enough to fit two people on it.

It was necessity that brought them to ride the same beast. The grounds were simply too vast for them to traverse it on foot. The mansion alone was nearly two miles away from the gate, and the lands extended further beyond that. They had no choice but to ride, and to Ryder's dismay he had discovered Alexandria had no experience with the beasts they would use.

It was also a perverse pleasure that had filled him when he realized they had no choice but to share the same horse like creature. He didn't like how happy that had made him, nor how his hands had lingered on her waist when Ryder had lifted her up onto the creature. She hadn't talked to him since, and that was fine with Ryder. He found he liked her much better when her mouth was closed, rather than listening to Alexandria spew defiance.

Still it was an excruciating ride. His mind kept trying to lose itself to fantasies of her, Ryder grumbling things underneath his breath. Not even that gained a reaction from her, Alexandria busying herself with scouting out the land. They rode slow so that she could make out the things growing in the ground. So far she had yet to see anything promising, leaving Ryder to wonder if this was a waste of both their times.

Just as quickly as he wondered that, Ryder realized it wasn't as if he had anything better to do. With the computers down, there was only the cleaning. The attempts to restore the mansion. Or to go into the city to purchase goods. Unhappy as he was with the realization, Ryder found he would not have wanted to be anywhere else than here with Alexandria pressed up against him.

Especially when she moved, fidgeting about as the priestess shifted about to look at something. Without a word, Ryder guided the beast closer in that direction and all the while he was lost to the feel of her bottom moving against his groin. His eyes grew heavy, the dark slits thinning out with desire. If she looked at him now, would Alexandria turn frightened to see that near blind look of lust on his face?

But she didn't turn, didn't even acknowledge the fact that his erection was pressing into her. He wondered what she thought of him in the moment, then nearly laughed. She probably thought him a pervert, a debauched, lecherous fool who was getting off on her close proximity to him. Or maybe she'd be pleased, liking the proof of how thoroughly she had bewitched him. But he couldn't control that part of him, hadn't been able to since meeting her.

His cock wanted inside of her. Wanted to feel her warmth, feel her squeezing around him. It actually twitched in violent reaction to his thoughts, Ryder clenching his teeth angrily. Damn her. Damn her for trying to make a fool out of him. He was no woman's fool, no longer so new, so green to sex that he could end up in thrall to anyone, let alone a mouthy priestess. And yet his body was trying to make him her slave, lusting so strongly after her! If he couldn't find an outlet in her body, he knew he would erupt soon, lash out in violence to any convenient target that came along.

He had almost done so this morning, seeing all those eager males surrounding the priestess' seat. Watching them openly flirt with her, some of them laying hands on her. It had been relatively innocent touches, and still it made his anger flare up. Ryder had wanted to beat each and every one of those males, hurt anyone who had so much as looked at Alexandria. It wasn't like him at all. Since when did he get jealous, since when did he get possessive over a woman?

"Witch." He hissed into her ear. She twitched. Was it the word that had upset her, or had she reacted to his breath caressing over her ear? But Alexandria didn't respond, didn't acknowledge what he had called her. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or angry to be ignored, Ryder grinding his teeth together in response to her silence. She was set on ignoring him, and that was almost intolerable. Ryder wanted Alexandria to be aware of him, to suffer the same slow burn he was going through. Lust or anger, or even a combination of both. He'd be happy just so long as she was going through similar!

He thought to provoke her. He thought to taunt her with how she had bewitched all the unattached males at the mansion. He was ready to accuse her of witchcraft, and opened his mouth to growl. But then she was speaking, his words abruptly cutting off in his sudden eagerness to hear what Alexandria had to say.

"We should check the crop fields." The priestess suggested. "They may have been growing more than just food there."

It was as good a suggestion as any, Ryder grumbling as he guided the beast to turn. To the east of them, they could see the golden stalks of wheat. Ryder didn't know much about the land's layout beyond the mansion, but he knew enough to recognize the signs. If wheat was growing there, other things might as well. He urged the horse like creature to trot faster, Ryder not sure if he wanted this excursion over with or to have it be never ending.

Again that silence descended between them. The priestess seemed content to maintain it, as though she didn't want to bother with Ryder. That thought annoyed him, Ryder thinking she damn well better, considering how bothered she made him FEEL.

"You're causing quite a stir at the mansion." He said out loud. "I haven't seen the men stirred up like this in quite some time."

"I'm sure once the novelty of my presence fades, they will calm down."

"It won't if you keep shamelessly flirting with them." He smirked in response to her outraged gasp. He caught sight of an emerald colored glare, Alexandria turning to look at him over her shoulder.

"I am doing no such thing!"

"Aren't you?" Ryder demanded. "You're allowing them far too many liberties. Allowing them to touch you...to look at you."

"It was only my hand." She protested, then narrowed her eyes. "I've shown them nothing, done nothing to encourage them!"

"And yet you do nothing to discourage the attention." He smugly pointed out. "You let them fawn over you. Not only at breakfast, but at dinner last night. Let them fall over each other to be of use to you!"

Her pretty mouth had fallen open, Alexandria seeming to sputter in response. Lord help him, but he wanted to kiss her silent in the moment. To thrust his tongue inside that lush mouth, and eat up any sounds she might make. Ryder bet she was a squealer, and he wanted to hear her squeal in response to his lust.

"It's sickening that display." He continued out loud. "The way you use them..."

"Use them?" She questioned sharply, having recovered enough to speak.

"For any and everything." Ryder accused. "You're wrapping them around your fingers..." Her pretty, delicate little fingers. "Is this another scheme of yours and the princess? You think to bamboozle these men into helping you escape?"

"Unlike you, I do not lie and manipulate!" She exclaimed fiercely. "I do nothing more than offer them my friendship."

"Friendship?" Tone insolent, he arched an eyebrow. "Is that what you're calling it?" He caught her by the wrist before she could slap him, the priestess far too quick to react in violence for someone who was supposed to be holy.

"How dare you!" She hissed, angry and haughty in the moment. "I don't know why you think the worst of me, but I will not have you project any further your perversions on myself and my actions! Let go!" Alexandria was pulling back on her hand, trying desperately to get free. If he let go of her now, she might topple from the beast's back. Ryder wasn't about to risk her hurting herself in anyway, the Drule adjusting his grip so that his arm curled around her waist. She turned even angrier in response to that, seeming not to realize the danger she was in of falling.

Indeed, the instant he released her wrist, Alexandria started to slip. Only his arm about her waist kept her in place, but did he get any thanks for his trouble? No. She only glared at him harder, eyes looking like burning emerald flames. Damn but he found her even more attractive when she was angry, some sick part of him enjoying the glares she gave him.

"This day cannot end soon enough for my liking." Alexandria finally muttered. Ryder couldn't quite agree with her, his emotions and desires a conflicting mess. He both wanted near the priestess, and away from her. Both options seemed equally maddening!

"Better hurry up and find those plants then." Ryder told her. She had already turned forward, presumedly searching around them. The stalks of wheat loomed closer, tall enough to come up to a Drule male's waist. Beyond them they could see the crop fields, and even a ramshackle building. It wasn't big enough to be a barn. Ryder wondered if it as some kind of tool shed, and spied a dilapidated wheelbarrow overturned in front of it.

The sky above them was overcast. Only a few white clouds remained, many of the others turning darker in color. It looked like a storm was developing, though he had yet to hear the rumble of thunder. This excursion might be cut short even sooner if it started to rain, Ryder having no desire to remain outside and get wet. He realized if they didn't find those herbs, Qualenn would most likely send them out an another time. Damn him, but he felt the excited beat of his heart quicken at the thought of having another excuse to spend time alone with Alexandria.

She was back to holding herself absolutely still, Alexandria without comment about the state of his body. Even still as a statue she affected him, Ryder gritting his teeth together and forcing himself to look elsewhere. To try and concentrate on the landscape rather than her sweet scent, and even sweeter body pressed against his. The crop fields were overrun, no neat lines of things growing. Instead they were mixed together, as though the seedlings had been blown all over each other thanks to the wind. Ryder couldn't identify all the crops. Some of the things growing were foods he had never seen before, or things he had only ever seen once they had been processed. He was no farmer, and planet Doom was not a fertile world. A less traveled Drule wouldn't even be able to identify half of what had grown here.

"Stop the beast!" Alexandria suddenly said. Her tone was urgent. She had spotted something of interest.

Wordlessly, Ryder pulled on the reins, the creature abruptly snorting in response. But it stopped, Alexandria shifting, ready to climb off it's back. He barely had time to get off himself, the priestess already slipping off the barrel like body of the beast. Ryder felt annoyed by her haste, realizing she had purposefully done it so as to avoid his hands on her body assisting her down.

Sullen, he held onto the reins of the beast. Watching as Alexandria hurried over to a colorful patch of flowers. They were delicate looking buds, colored a faint blue though sometimes they ran a shade closer to purple. Alexandria got down on her knees, her elegant looking hands gracefully touching the flowers.

"Find something?" Ryder finally asked, watching as she broke the thin stem and brought one of the flowers up to her face. She actually inhaled it's scent, before nodding.

"Yes. Blue lobelia." She glanced towards him. "It's a useful plant, a cure for all. It's been used for just about everything..."

"Everything eh? Such as...?"

"Breathing problems." She told him. "We are very fortunate to find this, and find an abundance of them. Blue Lobelia is an expensive commodity here on Simestia." She began picking more of the flower, placing them inside the small basket Qualenn had given her.

"That's good then." Ryder didn't offer to help her pick, instead turning to look around them. There was other flowers nearby, leaving him to wonder if they were anything of importance. "The prince will be glad to save the money the plant would have cost us."

"There's enough here, that you could make a small fortune selling it in the city." Alexandria said. "Qualenn will have more then enough for her own purposes."

He glanced back at Alexandria, who somehow was managing to keep her hands from getting dirty as she handled the flowers. Her basket's bottom was already lined with a good amount of the lobelia. If she kept on picking the flower, she wouldn't have any room for any other plants. Alexandria seemed to realize that at the same time he did, the priestess suddenly rising from her kneeling position. Her movements were graceful, Alexandria beginning to gravitate towards a different cluster of flowers.

He followed after her, leading their mount by the reins. The plants Alexandria was now eyeing, was small and trumpet shaped. A vivid orange color with red spots splattered over the petals. She began gathering them, waiting until Ryder was close enough to hear her quiet murmur. "Jewelweed. Useful for burns and cuts. Not as expensive as the blue lobelia though."

"But still useful." Ryder noted, watching as she picked an adequate amount. It was like this that they would traverse the farmstead, Alexandria examining the plants that grew scattered across the crop fields. She'd talk as she picked them, explaining to Ryder what they were, and how they could be best used. Ryder wasn't much for botany, but he found when Alexandria wasn't arguing or being defiant, her voice was infinitely more pleasant to listen to. Soothing even.

Over by the ramshackle building, there was vines growing up one wall. It had the oddest mix of flowers and what appeared to be fruit growing from it's stems. What he thought was fruit, was about the size of an egg, a yellow green color that made him think it hadn't ripened yet. But that wasn't the weird part to it's appearance. The flower was predominately purple, whose petals were string like. The center was yellow, and had a green protrusion extending out at least half an inch. It truly looked alien in appearance, leaving Ryder to wonder what it was.

"Passiflora incarnata." Alexandria said from behind him. He turned, seeing her basket was nearly full. Overhead, they could heard the faint rumble of thunder. The storm was coming and coming soon judging by how close the next rumble followed.

"Passiflora what?"

"Commonly known as passion flower." She told him. "It's helps with insomnia and seizures."

"So we should get some of that." Ryder decided. "But why is it known as a passion flower?"

"In it's undiluted state, it's been known to be a powerful aphrodisiac." She explained. "Of course, using it in that way has been outlawed in nearly all the cities on Simestia."

"Outlawed? It's that powerful?" Ryder asked. A nod was his only answer, Alexandria walking over to the vines, ready to harvest some of the odd looking flower. The thunder rumbled even louder, their ride snorting nervously. The dabbled stallion would actually paw at the ground, Ryder having to put a hand on it's snout to calm him down.

Alexandria avoided picking the fruit, taking only the flowers. Her basket was more than full now, and even if she saw something else, the priestess simply wouldn't have the room to carry it.

"Let's go." Ryder said, gesturing for her to approach the horse like creature. She was looking up at the sky with a frown on her face, distracted when Ryder put his hands around her waist. He got the satisfaction of hearing her startled gasp, Ryder starting to lift her up towards the creature's back. It was then that it happened, a crack of thunder so loud, it seemed to deafen him for a moment.

The stallion reared in response to that loud noise, letting out a high pitched scream as it pawed the air with it's hooves. Alexandria hadn't yet been on it's back, Ryder quickly snatching her away from the panicking beast. Her basket ended up on the ground, it and the herbs being trampled under the hooves of the creature. Ryder could remember shouting at the frightened creature, but his words were lost to the loud boom of thunder and the beast's screams.

Alexandria was in his arms, the woman having twisted so that she faced him. But she wasn't looking at him, instead burying her face against his chest. Her arms were around him, and they were trembling with her fright. She had realized how close to disaster she had come. Alexandria could have been thrown from the back of the beast, or trampled under it's hooves.

Even now the creature continued to go crazy, Ryder losing hold of the reins to hold his hands protectively over Alexandria's back. He was forced to retreat in order to avoid the lashing hooves. Lightning sparked in the sky, and then the rain came. Sudden and hard, they were soaked within seconds. Alexandria still didn't look up, the creature letting out one last scream before it bolted away from them.

Ryder wasn't sure what was going on. Why the beast had reacted in such a manner to the thunder. But he didn't know much about it's temperament, didn't even know the proper name for it's species. For all he knew, it could be the type of beast to be overly sensitive to loud noises, to the point it frightened so easily. Whatever the case, he was supremely grateful they hadn't been on it's back when the thunder began booming so loud.

He also realize they were pretty much stranded for the moment. The mansion was several miles away, and Ryder wasn't about to walk that far in this kind of storm. He held back his curses, and adjust his grip on Alexandria so that he held her in a carry. Holding her that way, he began to make a mad dash towards the ramshackle building. He was about to discover if it was really a tool shed or not, Ryder knowing it was the only thing in sight that would offer them coverage from the storm. He'd kick in the rotting door, wondering if and how this day could get any worse.

Heh...okay so yeah...not as long as the last chapter...but overall...I like it. Next time we check in on them, it will probably be an Alexandria POV. Next chapter should be a Allura POV...but damn if I don't want to at least start the Alexandria POV first! XD

As for the plants/herbs/flowers...I googled medicinal herbs, and found a site with a lot of information and pictures. These are all real plants! I considered making up ones that were based off real ones, but I guess I got lazy. But I am rationalizing that the humans would have populated their worlds with similar kinds of plants to use in their medicines. Like say if the earthlings had come and settled on Arus...I imagine they would have brought things from earth to make themselves more comfortable as they settled Arus for human living.

I hope the plant part wasn't boring. I honestly tried to keep it brief...

To Be Continued!

Michelle

Wade Wells, thank you! I'm happy to hear Ryder is proving popular! And wait till you learn about his backstory. ^_-


	31. Chapter 31

Breakfast had finally ended, the many different Drules drifting off to other parts of the mansion. Or even outside, the Drules wanting to escape the hot, muggy air that was circulating throughout the mansion. Allura couldn't blame those who did, the princess almost regretting her choice to skip the ride with Lotor. She imagined it would have been cooler, to ride from a mount's back. If they went fast enough, a breeze would have stirred, enough for her hair to blow back and Allura to be cooled.

But she hadn't wanted to pass up the opportunity to be alone. There was a freedom in getting away from Lotor, especially after all the time she had spent at his side. Ever since they had arrived on Simestia, Lotor had been a constant presence besides her. As much as Allura wanted to work on convincing him to stand up and fight against his father, she also relished this time alone. It was time she could use to explore. To actively plot, and come up with new plans. Ones that if successful would have her returned to Arus in a few day's time.

Unfortunately nothing promising had revealed itself to Allura in her wanderings. With the power gone from the mansion, there wasn't any way to send out messages. They couldn't even contact each other from room to room, never mind establish a connection a dozen worlds over to reach Arus. She refused to get her spirits down about this. If she couldn't send a message, she could work on one of her other options. Her only option, given the windows were barred, and the Drule were carefully watching her comings and goings inside the mansion. Allura knew if she tried to leave now, they would stop her. They might appear relaxed, but they were all too alert to Allura's attempts to escape.

There was no helping it. She'd have to work on the Drules themselves. She wasn't quite sure where to begin. Lotor didn't seem to respond to her direct way of urging him to do the right thing. He was so damn resistant to the idea of returning to Doom, of facing his father. She assumed the rest of the Drules on Simestia were of a similar thought. Allura didn't think preaching to a group of them would work. She'd have to establish some kind of connection with the individuals, talk to them and try to persuade them to do what was right for the galaxy.

Allura was unsure of many things, but she was confidant enough to think Qualenn would be a good first choice for this attempt. The nurse had extend an offer for Allura to come talk to her, at any time at all. Allura wasn't ready to tell anyone the truth about what had happened in her past, but she thought she could use some of it as an opening to get to know Qualenn better. And through her, work Qualenn into seeing the Drule's choice to run away was the wrong one.

With Qualenn as her ally, the two of them could work to persuade the others. Slowly but surely winning them over to doing the right thing for the Denubian Galaxy. Allura wouldn't quite smile, knowing this plot of hers was a time consuming affair. She had to get to know the Drules, to try and cultivate friendships with them so that they would become comfortable enough to talk with and listen to Allura.

This was going to be a time consuming endeavor. Allura wondered if she even had the time to accomplish anything this way. But it was better than doing nothing, Allura walking determinedly through the halls. Only, she wasn't sure where she was going, Allura only knowing the infirmary was somewhere on the first floor of the mansion. She'd walk past the open doors, peering into the rooms inside. Some were clean and restored, made livable once more. Others were still dusty and dirty, the furniture covered by sheets. Sometimes there was Drules inside the dirty rooms, working to clean them.

She'd smile and nod hellos at the Drules who glanced up at her as Allura walked by. They didn't seem interested in deviating from their work, pausing only long enough to return her greetings. She was getting used to being all but ignored, when a voice called out to her.

"Princess...May I speak with you a moment?"

Her back was to the woman who was approaching. It was the only reason Tesla did not see the dismayed look that crossed Allura's face. By the time she turned to face the green skinned Drule, her expression was composed. She couldn't quite smile at Tesla, though she managed not to grimace. "Yes?" Allura asked, polite interest in her tone. She was uneasy, not sure she wanted to hear anything this woman had to say.

"I...I wanted to apologize." The shocking effect Tesla's words had was apparent, Allura staring flabbergasted at her. Tesla shifted her weight from foot to foot, looking uncertain. Allura continued to do nothing more than stare, the woman giving an uncertain chuckle. "Is it really that surprising?"

"Forgive me..." Allura said when she had recovered enough to speak. "But yes." A Drules' coloring didn't allow a blush to appear, but Tesla seemed embarrassed all the same. "Why now? Why even bother with an apology?"

"I was wrong to speak to you that way." Tesla said simply. "I took a vicious, malicious joy from telling you about Zarkon's evil."

"It was something I needed to hear." Allura pointed out.

"Yes, it was." Tesla agreed. "But I could have done it differently. You didn't deserve my own brand of cruelty. And for that, I am sorry..."

Allura couldn't tell if the apology was sincere, staring searchingly into Tesla's eyes. They were unblinking, so alien in the moment. They told her nothing, showed no true regret over what had occurred at breakfast just a mere day ago.

"If you truly mean it, then I will accept you at your word." Allura told her. She raised her hand, Tesla eyeing it with some suspicion. She'd continue to wear that look, even as Allura too hold of Tesla's hand. "Consider what happened forgiven. But not forgotten." Tesla looked ready to protest. "The things Zarkon has done...they've made impression on us all. It is the kind of abuse, the kind of evil the rest of the galaxy has to be made aware of. To remind us who the true enemy is, and the reason why we are fighting."

Tesla was staring at her, hand limp in Allura's grip. "Is it that easy for you?" At her question, Allura tilted her head to the side. "You are presented with a side you haven't considered, and suddenly you are ready to forget your fear and animosity of us Drule?"

"It's not an easy realization for me." Allura admitted. "I've feared your people for a long time. But the more I hear, the more I believe in all of your sincerity. Zarkon has hurt you, as much as he has the other people of the Denubian Galaxy. He'll continue to torment everyone, if allowed to run free."

"That is something we can agree to." Tesla told her. "But forgive me if I am not so quick to believe a lifetime of fear, even of hatred, could be pushed aside in just a day's time. Princess, I saw first hand how you reacted to us. The way you treated us, the disdain you showed. Can such feelings really go away in so short a time? Gods, can they ever go away completely?"

"I don't know." Allura admitted, slowly releasing the Drule female's hand. "Gods know I struggle. There are things from my past, things I remember. Things I experienced. I know not all the Drule have wanted to do those things, but I also remember my encoutners with soldiers who took pleasure in doing Zarkon's evil. I am trying. Honestly I am. But it is not always easy to correct my way of thinking. The best I can do is to work on keeping my more ignorant feelings and beliefs at bay."

"I sincerely wish you all the luck with that." Tesla said. "As do I thank you for being honest with me. I cannot trust in this new attitude of yours, not yet. But I want to believe. Not just in your acceptance, but in the idea that others in the galaxy will follow suit and forgive the Drule for the crimes Zarkon has committed."

"It's not really crimes you should shoulder the burden for." Allura pointed out. "If I understood correctly, many have no choice. They do what they can to earn money so they can go on living, so they can support their family."

"That they do." Tesla nodded, her purple colored hair bobbing with the motion. "The way Zarkon has set up his Empire, jobs are scarce. Why hire someone you have

to pay, when you could easily get a slave to do the work for free? Everyone suffers on Doom. Some just feel it more than others."

Tesla's eyes had taken on a dark look, Allura wondering what she was remembering in the moment. It was upsetting, judging by the Drule's expression. Allura realized that though Tesla was quick to share others' misfortunes, the female had yet to speak of her own tragedies. It made Allura curious, though she dare not pry. Not when she had so tentative a relationship with Tesla. Maybe there would come a time when they could confide in each other, but right now they weren't even friends. Allura knew it was partly her own fault, the princess having made the wrong impression on Tesla. And unlike many of the other Drules, Tesla had held a grudge, always so quick and hostile in her reactions.

Allura truly hoped this was the beginning of a mending of relationships. She never felt in danger from Tesla, but the words this woman could speak had held the power to hurt and traumatize Allura. She was vocal, and clearly opinionated. And just as defensive of Lotor and the Drule race. Allura found herself curious about this woman, wondering what kind of job if any she had held. She almost reminded Allura of a lawyer, the princess recalling how Tesla had been in charge of the documents that had allowed them to pass through the security at the Kirentya space port.

"Everyone suffers when Zarkon turns his attention to their world." Allura finally said.

"That I can agree too." Tesla nodded, actually grimacing. The conversation seemed pretty much at an end, awkward pauses extending longer and longer between them. Tesla didn't seem eager to rush away though, and Allura took the chance to touch her hand again.

"For what it is worth I want to say I am sorry for how I first behaved. It was stupid of me. I took out my fear on everyone. Not just on Lotor."

Now Tesla looked surprised, as though the female had not been expecting such an apology. She didn't speak, just nodding her head, a gruff look appearing on her face. Was it a grudging acceptance of what Allura had said? But the Drule female was good at hiding her true feelings, leaving Allura to do nothing more than guess and hope for the best.

She stepped back, feeling unsure. No good-byes were being said, leaving Allura unsure if she should just continue on her way. Tesla seemed just as uncertain, as though she wasn't sure what to do now that she had said her apologies.

"Princess..." Tesla's low murmur stopped Allura from turning away.

"Yes?"

"Do try to give the prince a chance." Tesla urged, much to Allura's discomfort. "He's been through so much. Things you can't possibly imagine. But his love is real...it has to be, after all he's sacrificed."

"Sacrificed?" Allura echoed. "What?"

But Tesla merely bowed, stiff and formal as she showed Allura a respect she hadn't before. And then she turned, and walked away, leaving Allura to blink after her in confusion.

Allura didn't understand what exactly Lotor had sacrificed. She wished Tesla had remained, even as Allura understood that the woman probably wouldn't have given her the answers she sought. It was just one more piece to a troubling puzzle, Allura's curiosity roused as she wondered to what extent Lotor had suffered. So far, what little she knew hinted about the things done to him as a child, along with some kind of punishment for things Zarkon considered a failure. Lotor had even had to watch others be tormented, and that was an abuse of an another kind.

Sighing, Allura would resume her search for the infirmary. Her troubled expression didn't leave her face, to the point several of the Drules she passed asked if there was something they could do to help her. Her mind wasn't working clearly, Allura missing the obvious the first two times she was asked that. Finally the third time, with a woman who was overly concerned, Allura asked just where the infirmary was.

She was directed past the kitchens, towards a stretch of rooms that were used predominately for storage. There were crates of fruits, and many boxes of the grains and cereals they had been enjoying for breakfast. There was even a walk in freezer, though with climate control it wasn't cold at the moment. It was empty too, for anything stored in the now hot room would simply rot.

The storage rooms weren't all for food. She'd find Qualenn in a room next to the one with the excess medical supplies. The pretty Drule female had a portable on the desk in front of her, her eyes intent on the screen. Allura was surprised to realize it was on, not having realized anyone had enough life left in their batteries to use such a device. Excitement would bubble up, Allura wondering if there was a chance she could get her hands on the nurse's computer.

She was still just standing in the doorway, when Qualeen glanced up. She wore a smile, though the look in her eyes was surprised. "Princess Allura..." She greeted her, expression turning critical as she looked Allura over. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"No." Allura said, then hastily amended. "Not exactly." She didn't have to fake her uncertainty, Allura shifting uneasy. She had come here with a purpose, wanting to talk to Qualenn. But now a bigger prize had presented itself before her. Allura had to fight not to keep looking at the computer, instead staring at the floor. Qualenn didn't pressure her, waiting patiently for Allura to find the courage, the words to express why she had come.

"This is not easy for me." Allura finally said, her words ringing of the truth. "But...you're right. I...I can't always keep things bottled up inside me. Especially not that."

The click clack of Qualenn's typing had stopped, drawing Allura's attention to the nurse. The woman wore a kind expression, Qualenn gesturing for Allura to step inside the room. Allura would close the door behind her, slowly walking towards Qualenn.

"Please..." She patted one of the chairs next to her. "Have a seat."

Allura took it, the chair not as comfortable as those in the dining room. She continued to be uneasy, not sure where to begin. She really didn't want to talk about her encounter with one of Zarkon's soldiers. Or at least, she didn't want to go into detail about it. Just thinking about the small details was enough to start a panic attack, and Allura couldn't afford one now. Not when she had a chance to maybe use Qualenn's computer!

"Where is the doctor?" Allura finally asked.

"Oh, he went to town. There was some things he insisted we needed. Medicines he couldn't wait on the chance we'd find them for free on the estate." Qualenn patted Allura's hand. "He shouldn't be back for at least another hour. We have plenty of time to talk uninterrupted." She hadn't shut off her computer, seeming to have forgotten it was there. The screen told Allura nothing, the words written in the Drule language.

"I see." Allura let out a shaky breath, telling herself to calm down. Qualenn said nothing, letting the silence drag out. It was clear she wasn't going to rush Allura into speaking, the woman patient and kind. Allura tried to focus, to think of something she was willing to share. Some kind of memory that didn't have to do exactly with the soldier she had encountered.

"I spent many of the first years of my life living underground." Allura finally said. "It's only been in the last two, three years that I haven't. That I've been able to walk above ground, to gaze up at the sun lit sky and not feel fear."

"That must have been a rough transition fro you. Getting adjusted to going out."

"Oh it was!" Allura nodded emphatically. "Before Voltron was revived, it was practically unheard of to go out during the day. And only under the most dire of circumstances..."

"Like what?" Qualenn asked.

"Like a tunnel collapsing." Allura shuddered. "It sometimes happened without warning, the ground becoming unstable from the mining the Drules were doing above ground. I've seen people, lost people by the dozen to a tunnel's collapse..." She closed her eyes, unable to stop the shudder that went through her. "It's how I lost my mother..."

"I'm sorry..." Qualenn whispered, looking stricken.

"It's nothing we can change...the past is the past..." Allura sighed, but couldn't stop shaking.

"The past has strength. It affects many...maybe everyone." Qualenn also sighed. "Princess, are you okay with closed spaces?"

"Do you mean am I claustrophobic?" Allura managed a bitter smile. "No. I wouldn't be able to pilot blue lion if I was. I spent a good portion of my life underground, and many times the caves weren't that big...sometimes they were smaller than this room. I would have been in real trouble if I had feared them..." And yet she had craved wide, open spacing, Allura wanting to run free. To bask in the sun, to see the flowers the others described, the colorful plants that could not bloom beneath the ground where the sun could not reach.

It was such a silly, simple yearning. But it had been strong enough to drive her above ground. Allura had wanted to see with her own eyes, the paradise the Drule had stolen from her. It was longing she had been dealing with for years, and it only grew stronger with every passing day. Allura would often venture ever closer to above ground, every week just a step nearer towards paradise. Coran or Nanny always stopped her from going too far, but that one day, they had not been near. They couldn't have, not with another tunnel collapsing in on itself.

In the distraction, Allura had slipped away. She left behind the screams, the people choking on the dust and the dirt. She had been crying as she fled, sick of life underground. She hadn't been topside in years, not even at night. Her status as princess had afforded her the odd luxury of having others do the night time foraging for food. She had been sheltered and protected, and she had foolishly thrown away that protection!

A tear slipped down Allura's cheek. Qualenn was quick to hand her a tissue. Allura took it gratefulyl from her, dabbing at her eyes. "I just wanted to see Arus." She finally said. "I wanted to see my birthright, that which everyone fought for. I was stupid..."

"You ventured outside." Guessed Qualenn, and Allura nodded. "What happened?"

"At first? nothing. Nothing but sheer joy. I was marveling at what I saw, the sun sparkling on a lake that was so blue, so crystal clear in it's brilliance. It was nothing like the stagnant water we drank underground. It was beautiful and pure...and I think it was then I truly fell in love with my planet." Allura sighed. "You have to understand...the last time I had been above ground, I had been nothing but a baby...too young to have any true memories of Arus..."

A rumble of thunder was heard, and almost immediately a second one sounded. Nervous, Allura glanced over at the window, noting the sky was growing dark. "Storm's coming." She murmured.

"We're safe from it." Qualenn said reassuringly. She didn't try to demand Allura continue, letting the princess' thoughts form in whatever way she wanted. Allura wouldn't speak for the longest time, just sitting there gripping her tissue. Listening to the rumble of the thunder. She wondered if Lotor would come back to the house soon, just as she wondered if Ryder and Alexandria were having any success on their herb picking adventure.

"I should have never left the underground." Allura finally said, and even to herself her voice sounded tormented. "I should never have given my caregivers the slip...I should have been content to hide..."

"Don't blame yourself..." Qualenn urged her.

"How can I not? I set myself up for what happened. If only I had stayed...if only..." The sudden, booming loudness of thunder startled her, Allura leaping up out of her seat so fast it fell over. She was shaking again, and looking around, thinking a bomb had gone off.

"It's okay, it's okay!" Qualenn was saying, having risen at a much slower pace. Over the too loud thunder, Allura could hear the harsh sound of a hard rainfall. The kind that soaked everything in an instant. It was a very bad storm, and she was very glad she had not gone out in it. "Princess...was it...was there a storm that day?"

Allura quickly shook her head no. "No, it was a beautiful day. Too beautiful for what would happen..." Again a pause, Allura trying to control her memories. She would not go down that path. She would NOT! And yet her body was showing signs of panicking, her breath taking on a ragged rasp. Qualenn realized what was happening, and began instructing Allura to slow her breathing. Allura would honestly try, focusing on the nurse's voice, even as she fought the memories. She couldn't stop from recalling the leering Drule's face, the twisted look of lust in his eyes. Or the violence that followed.

Suddenly she was down on her knees, Qualenn's arms around her. Allura continued to struggle to breathe, aware tears were streaming down her face. She wasn't saying anything now, just sobbing wordlessly as the nurse tried to calm her down. Allura knew from experience she had to ride out this panic, and she wouldn't know how long the episode would last. But eventually she was calm, only a slight hiccup of sound escaping her as Qualenn murmured soothing nonsense to her.

Finally it was over, the nurse helping Allura to stand. She'd get more tissues, and work on cleaning up the princess' face. Allura blinked constantly, expelling the last of her clinging tears.

"Are they always this bad?" Qualenn finally asked.

"Sometimes." Allura said. "Sometimes they are even worse."

"Oh dear..." Qualenn muttered. "It's a wonder you haven't choked trying to breathe." Allura just shrugged. "I can get you some breathing exercises to practice. It might help with the panic attacks if you do them the minute you start to get upset. It might stave off a full blown episode."

"Do you really think it would help?"

"It couldn't hurt to try." Qualenn told her. "I can look them up right now...I keep everything related to medicine and healing on this computer. Even the files of everyone who came to Simestia. Their medical history." She frowned then. "You never know when it's going to be needed...when disaster might strike."

Almost on cue, the door was flung open. Allura was still jittery, nearly jumping out of her skin as the door banged against the wall. There was a man there, a dark purple Drule whose agitation was apparent. Allura was trying not to overreact to his sudden entrance, but then she noticed the blood on his white shirt.

"Qualenn, come quickly!" He was shouting. "There's been an accident."

"An accident?" The nurse asked, already stepping away from Allura to go towards her medicine bag. "What happened?"

"We were riding...the thunder, it spooked our mounts." The man as saying. It got through to Allura, the princess stepping towards him. Her worry was apparent, Allura whispering a name fearfully, urgently.

"Lotor?"

"No, not the prince." A relief she didn't want to examine filled her, Allura almost sagging to the floor now that she knew Lotor wasn't injured. The relief didn't last, a new name being spoken. "Vorlac's been hurt. It's bad."

"No, not Vorlac!" He was one of the Drules Allura knew, the girl having reluctantly spent much time in his company. He hadn't been overtly mean to her, though his patience had been tried by Allura's antics. She didn't like the thought of him, of anyone being hurt, possibly dying. She found herself nodding, following Qualenn and the man out into the hall.

"You remain here Allura." Qualenn ordered.

"But..."

"There's no time to argue!" The nurse said sharply. "Please...I know what I am doing. I will save Vorlac if I can."

"Yes, of course." Allura would stand in the hall, watching as the pair ran down it. She would remain out there for several more minutes, before her jumbled thoughts realized something. Qualenn had been in such a hurry, she had never switched off her portable. Allura couldn't believe her luck, even as she felt bad for taking advantage of a situation caused by Vorlac's accident. It wouldn't stop her from going back into the infirmary, Allura hurrying over to the tiny computer.

Ah..I had a deciding point in this chapter. Ultimately I decided to save Allura on the computer for a later chapter...and what she discovers. Rather than make this chapter go into an insane length. ^^;;

To Be Continued!

Michelle

Wade Wells, thank you! Glad you enjoyed the Mara and the Voltron Force chapters! :D I was eager for you to get to read them too! XD Keith in this story has a rather specific type of woman...see I plan to have Mara eventually go snooping in his office or bedroom, and find a certain something that leads her to realize just what type of woman he is attracted to! Like she goes looking for one thing, only to find out something else! Hee hee! But I suppose that scene has to wait until they get to Arus. The good news is, the next time we get a volton force mara chapter, they have left the planet they are on to go back to Arus! So it gets me one step closer to the snooping through his things scene! YAY!


	32. Chapter 32

Her arms had wrapped around solid male flesh, Alexandria frightened and trembling from head to toe. The beast, a Nerianes, had taken off in a panicked gallop. Thunder continued to boom, and every time without fail, she heard the Nerianes scream in response. But the screams were growing fainter, the creature running away from her. In her own fright, she was glad for it to be gone, Alexandria's heart beating wildly. She didn't have much experience with Nerianes, and never had she expected the animal to turn so violent.

Her shaking seemed to increase as she remembered how the Nerianes had reacted. How it had reared and bucked it's body, Alexandria almost on it's back when she had been snatched away. Her basket had ended up on the ground, rolling underneath the Nerianes. The beast had trampled over the basket, flattening it and the herbs it had held. Alexandria was aware of the ways she could have been hurt, thrown from it's back, or crushed under the Nerianes' hooves. If not for the quick thinking of the man with her, she surely would have been hurt or worse.

Alexandria couldn't bring herself to let go of Ryder. She needed to feel him against him, to hold onto him for dear life as she tried to calm down. In this moment, she forgot how he exasperated her, how the Drule seemed to succeed in irritating her every time he opened his mouth to speak. For just one moment she forgot Ryder didn't like her, Alexandria clinging to him. Her head was lowered, face pressed against his neck. She could feel the rain pelting her, her clothing already soaked, her skin ice cold. Ryder was no better off, the Drule agitated. Cursing under his breath as he ran towards the only covering available to them.

She heard the rotted wood splinter apart with a groan. It had not stood up to the Drule's strength, the door actually falling part way off it's rusted hinges. Later, she would note that the door was so ruined, there would be no way to close it, short of bringing in a brand new piece. Such was the strength of this Drule, that with just a kick, he had succeeded in breaking the door.

Alexandria was still in her frightened state, her mind almost in a daze when Ryder set her down on dry tile. He had to actually pry her off him, Alexandria not yet ready to give up the comfort of his arms. She'd continue to shiver, to blink repeatedly as she tried to calm her racing heart and frightened thoughts. That scared haze of hers, would last long enough for Ryder to reach for her, the man suddenly giving a mighty jerk with his hands. Her dress was hauled off of her shoulders, pulled down past her breasts before she recovered enough to react.

"What are you doing?" Alexandria gasped, one hand reaching for her dress to keep it from falling the rest of the way down. Her other hand was now being used in an attempt to push Ryder away, the Drule staring at her with heat in his eyes. His fingers were still gripping her dress, though he made no attempt to fight her in it's removal.

"You're going to catch cold or worse if you don't take this off." He growled at her. That growl wasn't a soothing sound, something inside Alexandria twisting nervously. He was staring at her, but it was obvious he was upset. It was all right, she was upset too, and growing embarrassed by the fact her breasts were bared to him.

"I..." She hesitated. Alexandria was no fool. She was soaked, and the storm had brought with it a chill wind. She and Ryder could both very well end up with some form of pneumonia. And yet she still balked at being stripped in front of him. By him. He took the choice from her, suddenly hauling the dress upwards. It was pulled up over her head, leaving Alexandria clad only in her panties.

"Give that back!" Alexandria cried out, one arm going across her chest in an attempt to hide her breasts. There was too much to cover, Alexandria starting to blush as she reached for her dress with her other hand. Ryder held it out of reach, frustrating her with the knowledge that even if she jumped for it, she wouldn't get her dress back.

"Your hair is long enough to cover the important bits." He told her, and abruptly turned away. Alexandria was left blinking uncertainly before his words registered. She quickly hauled some of her hair forward, letting the wet strands mold themselves to her breasts. She wanted her dress, wanted to hold it up like a shield against him.

Ryder set down her dress on the surface of some kind of work table. It was covered in dust, and there was an assortment of rusted and dirty tools laying scattered on it. Ryder gave them a quick look, and then began unbuttoning his vest. He didn't have many buttons to do, for it had been half open already. He wore no shirt underneath it, the vest showing off his chest and muscled arms. And now she was seeing even more of his chest, Alexandria swallowing nervously. Her mouth had gone dry, and her eyes were widening. She had never seen a shirtless man before, and Ryder was impressive on that front.

She was still staring, when he suddenly reached for the buttons of his pant's fly. Foolishly she spoke, her mind knowing what he was going to do but unable to stop herself from asking the obvious question. "You're not going to take those off!"

He locked eyes with her, his gaze dark with unpleasant things. She recognized his anger, along with his arousal. Even worse, there was some kind of cruel amusement, Ryder enjoying her reactions. "Of course I am." He said to her, fingers quick and nimble as they began unfastening the buttons. "I'm not fool enough to risk getting sick just to spare your eyes OR your modesty."

She sputtered, but the words wouldn't form. He was infuriating! And to her morbid fascination, he was hooking his fingers into his pant's waistband, ready to haul them down. She shook again, but it had nothing to do with the fright the Nerianes had given her. At the last possible second, Alexandria turned, so fast and wild her hair swayed from her motion. She actually had to readjust the front strands to cover her breasts again, Alexandria's cheeks burning when she heard Ryder's satisfied chuckle.

"I knew it would be too much for you."

She didn't dignify that with a response, her hands clenching into fists at her sides as she stared at the wall across from her. There were shelves there, with a few broken clay pots and jars that held the dried remains of plants. There was even a cobweb in the corner, though no sign of the spider that had made it. Thunder continued to boom, the dark sky and the shadow covered shed lighted up every time lightening crackled in the sky. Alexandria tried to ignore Ryder, but found her every sense was now attuned to him. Listening to the sounds of his movement, hearing him set his clothing down on the table. He wasn't idle after that. She could hear him rummaging through things, muttering stuff under his breath. And then thumping sounded, Ryder throwing something onto the floor. Several some things by the sound of it.

Alexandria couldn't take it anymore, nerving herself to turn around to see what Ryder was doing. Fortunately the work table was between them, keeping his lower half hidden from sight. Ryder held in his hands a shelf, having ripped it from the wall. He added it to the pile of ancient wood on the floor, Alexandria watching wordlessly as he began pulling open drawers in the work table.

"Damn it..." He muttered in Drule. It was one of the tamer curses he had voiced, but it was spoken no less angrily than any of the others. He continued pulling open drawers, emptying out the contents on top of the table. She didn't know what he was looking for, but it served to further agitate him when he couldn't find it.

"What are you looking for?" She finally asked. His eyes briefly met hers, Alexandria folding her arms over her chest in an attempt to keep more of herself covered.

"A lighter of some kind." He told her. "Or matches. But there's nothing useful here."

"You're going to build a fire?"

"Gonna try." He grimaced. "Unfortunately building a fire was one of the things they didn't teach at the Drule Military Academy. Didn't seem to think it was a necessity, bunch of idiots. Too focused on teaching us how to kill and be good little soldiers in the employ of Zarkon to deal with anything else." Ryder eyed her once more, a considering look in them. "Say...don't suppose you know how to start a fire...?"

She felt absolutely useless as she answered. "Sorry. No."

"Figures." Ryder seemed disgusted now. "Would have made life just a little less complicated." He began moving, walking out from behind the table. She quickly turned again, trying to avoid seeing him completely. It was almost worse not to look, Alexandria forced to listen to his movements, her mind trying to match up the actions to his sounds.

"What I wouldn't give for a survival kit right about now." Muttered Ryder. He was doing something behind her, Alexandria judging he was by the wood pile. She could hear the wood being moved, and then a whisper of sound she couldn't identify at all. But she wouldn't turn, too leery of seeing more than she was prepared to, of Ryder's body.

"Ever go camping...?" Ryder suddenly asked.

"No..."

"Yeah, didn't think so. You don't seem the type. You're too...delicate to rough it." Ryder told her, that sound still continuing.

"Delicate?" She raised an eyebrow though he couldn't see. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Please..." He snorted then. "I know your type. Never known a day of hard work. Your soft hands don't even have callouses on them."

She took offense to that, and nearly turned around to glare at him. "You're wrong about that!"

"Am I?" Ryder challenged.

"Yes, you are." Alexandria said firmly. "I've worked hard nearly every day of my life. Even before I received the calling to do the Gods' work. I had my brothers and sisters to take care of."

"So you're not an only child?" He asked, and she nodded. "Neither was I..."

"Was?"

"Family's dead now." It was all he would say, Ryder offering no further explanations.

"I am sorry for your loss." It was genuine, a heartfelt sadness expressed for someone who had been orphaned. It was clear by Ryder's reaction that her sincerity surprised him, his tone guarded, nearly suspicious as he asked a question.

"Why would you even care?"

"Why WOULDN'T I?" She countered. "You lost people important to you. It's sad...and unfortunate..."

"It's a part of life, especially on Doom." Ryder retorted then cursed. "Shit...this isn't going to work." Something clattered on the floor, Ryder moving once more. Her ears strained to track his movement, his footsteps drawing near to her. She wouldn't turn to look at him, hoping, praying he would veer off at the last possible moment. He did not, and then he was there, pressing up behind her. She gasped before she could stop herself, Alexandria going as still as a statue as Ryder's hands touched her bare arms. It wasn't a touch she found unpleasant, the Drule beginning to rub his hands up and down the length of her arms.

"You're going to freeze." He noted, his own hands cold. They were trying to rub warmth into her, trying to generate heat from the friction of his hand's rubbing motions. Her skin seemed to raise in goose flesh, Alexandria shivering all the more for his nearness. Ryder had pressed against her back, and only the long curtain of her hair kept her from feeling his skin against hers.

"I...I'll be fine..." She stammered, though Alexandria knew that wasn't true. She was freezing, from the inside and the out. The rain had been cold, so cold Alexandria wouldn't be surprised if she turned a shade of blue that was similar to Ryder's skin color.

"You won't be if we just leave you like this." Ryder pointed out. His hands let go of her arms, Alexandria finding she missed the feel of them rubbing over her. She instantly regretted that, for in the next moment his arms had wrapped around her, one directly across her breasts! If possible, she stiffened even further into that odd hug, Ryder pulling her more firmly against his front. She closed her eyes, an entreaty being whispered to any God that would listen. And all because she could feel his arousal, pressing into her from behind.

It was different from when they had ridden the Nerianes. Back then, they had both been clothed, the fabric a suitable barrier to Ryder's erection. Now she had nothing to guard against it except a flimsy pair of wet panties. She couldn't even speak properly, Alexandria making some kind of strangled noise in protest.

"Easy..." Ryder actually crooned, lips against her ear. "We're just gonna share some good old fashion body heat until the search party can get here."

Alexandria couldn't think properly, feeling absolutely stupid as she questioned him. "Search party?"

"They're bound to come looking for us." Ryder explained. "Maybe not while the storm is raging, but after. When we don't come back to the mansion..." He was still pinning her against him, and she still could not relax. She felt him shrug, his lips still by her ear. His breath was warm, a teasing caress that almost made her twitch as she realized her ear was very sensitive to his lips. "I doubt we'll have to spend the night out here."

Even an hour, a minute more seemed too long to endure so long as he was holding her trapped in his embrace. She continued to shiver, and it wasn't all from the cold Alexandria was feeling.

"Still would have been good if I could have built a fire..." mused Ryder. "Ah well...no use bitching about that." Holding her, he began to lower them down to the tiled floor. She'd find herself positioned between his spread legs, that all too noticeable erection seeming to throb against her bottom. Alexandria didn't dare move, save to bend her knees and huddle them close to her body. Ryder didn't let go of her, once they were sitting, and she thought to herself he was enjoying this too much.

The storm continued, the rain so loud it sounded as though it was roaring. She was starting to hate the rain, and all because it was the storm's fault she was in this position. Practically naked, and in the arms of a normally hostile man. A Drule who hadn't had one nice word to say to her since they had met. Her cheeks felt hot, Alexandria sure her face was turning pink from embarrassment and her discomfort.

"So you had brothers and sisters to take care of..." She slowly nodded a yes in response. "Where were your parents?"

"Father had to work to support the family." Alexandria was pleased when she didn't stammer out her reply. "He was almost never home, save for dinner and sleeping."

"And your mother?" Asked Ryder.

"Dead." A pain that never quite went away filled her voice, Alexandria closing her eyes. "She died of an illness. I suppose you could say that was what got me interested in healing..."

"I'm...sorry..." It was hesitant, almost uncertain sounding.

"I wanted to save others, since I couldn't save her." Shared Alexandria.

"Makes sense to me." Ryder said. "So, I take it you're the oldest?"

"How did you know?"

"Well, earlier you said something about having to take care of your siblings. I figure with Mom dead and dad working, the responsibility of keeping the family running fell onto the oldest, you." Ryder's guess was accurate, Alexandria nodding.

"I was only twelve when she passed..."

"Too young for such a burden." Ryder murmured softly into her ear.

"How old were you, when you lost your family?" She asked. Tension stiffened his body. Ryder hadn't liked her inquiry.

"So tell me...how did you go from mothering a bunch of kids, to receiving the calling of the Gods?" The message was clear. He wasn't going to share about his family. "Wouldn't think you would have the time to become a priestess..."

"I shouldn't have...but nothing can go against the will of the Gods."

"Nothing eh?" He sounded challenging then.

"Nothing." Alexandria said firmly. "I was almost seventeen, when I was chosen. The oracles themselves saw the mark of the chosen on me."

"Mark? There's not even a blemish on you."

She frowned then. "I didn't realize you had look so thoroughly at me!" In fact she was sure he had been too distracted by her breasts, to look elsewhere.

"There's little I don't see." Was his frustrating answer. Alexandria frowned harder.

"The mark isn't a physical manifestation..." She told him. "It's not something you can find on the body. The oracles read our auras...and they saw I was marked for higher purpose in life..."

"Seems awfully fishy to me." Ryder complained, his tone annoyed. "So what...these oracles supposedly look at people's auras, which lets them know who is fit to serve in the temples?"

"Yes, exactly."

"What a load of bull shit." She flinched at the curse, Ryder's arms seeming to tighten around her as though he was preparing to keep her from trying to get up.

"It's not..." Alexandria protested, and he snorted.

"It so is. Did you even have a choice in becoming a priestess once the oracles said you were a chosen one?" He demanded.

"No one ever turns down the honor to become part of the temple!" She exclaimed. "It's unheard of!"

"Sounds like no choice to me." Ryder grumbled. "In fact, it seems like a gimmick to keep the temple stocked with people willing to work for them." He made a scoffing sound then. "Reading auras...Ha!"

"You don't believe?"

"I believe in a lot of things. But what I don't believe possible is the Gods picking and choosing their servants." She felt the movement, Ryder shaking his head no. "The Gods, if they even exist, don't give a damn about us mere mortals."

She gasped then. "Blasphemer!"

He chuckled, but it sounded unhappy. "Yeah. Maybe I am. But I learned long ago, that prayers go unanswered."

She was upset, but the unhappiness in his voice struck a chord with her. She shifted as best she could against him, Alexandria trying to ignore the feel of his erection against her. She ended up looking over her shoulder at him, her eyes serious and searching. "What happened to you?" She asked softly. "What was so bad, that it made you lose faith in your Gods?"

The gold eyes turned darker, Ryder staring at her with a narrowed gaze. "Don't try to heal my broken faith priestess. You won't like what happens if you try..."

"Broken but not gone?" She asked, pretending to ignore the threat. But it had made her stomach twist, Alexandria nervous but wanting to help. To heal him if possible. When it came to religion, he was a lost soul, and Alexandria had never been able to turn her backs on those.

"It might as well be gone." Ryder grumbled. "Waste of my time and yours, to try to find it this late in the game. And let me tell you something, priestess. It will damn well be a miracle if it does come back to me now!"

"Then let us find that miracle together!" She urged him. He growled at her. "Ryder...it's only gone if you let it be. But the fact that you haven't...that you, yourself acknowledge it wasn't completely lost...that implies to me some part of you is clinging to what little faith you have left...that you might even be waiting for the chance to recover it...You just have to believe..."

"I only believe in things I can see. Things I can feel!" He interrupted harshly.

"You may not be able to see them, but if you let yourself, you'd be able to feel them. Feel the love they have for us, their children."

"Bull shit!" He snapped. "We're nothing to them!"

"You're wrong!" Alexandria argued. "We are everything to them. They've given us so much..."

"Then they've taken just as much as they've given!" Ryder countered. "Look at the evil in the universe. Look at a monster like Zarkon, and tell me how the Gods could allow the likes of him to exist?"

She had no real answer for that. "I don't know why they allow such evil to test us so...But that we survive it, we come out the better. Stronger..." Alexandria trailed off, her own eyes widening in alarm. Ryder looked absolutely furious now, his fangs flashing in a feral snarl.

"No one is better for enduring Zarkon's torture! The lives he has ruined, the families he's destroyed! If you think that way, then you're as big a fool as any other church figure I've met!"

She tried not to take offense at that, Alexandria telling herself he was like a wounded animal, lashing out at the only available target. It was just her misfortune to be that target, Ryder glaring so angrily at her.

"I don't think I am a fool." He let out a bitter sounding laugh at that. "And I know I can't begin to imagine what kind of things Zarkon has done to you and your people. I only know the stories, the tales of Simestia's past. But I can feel your pain...you may have gotten away from that monster, but you too are suffering. You all are, each in different ways. Ryder, you just hide it better than some of the others." Alexandria couldn't nerve herself to touch him, conscious of how he shook with his anger. "You need help...let me be it..."

"And what would you do?" He demanded harshly. Alexandria gasped, Ryder suddenly rolling, maneuvering things so that she ended up flat on her back, with the Drule on top of her. His weight was pinning her down, his erection hot against her belly. "How do you think to help me, to heal me? By talking at me? By prying where you do not belong?" He shifted again, his knee pressing insistently between her legs. She couldn't close her legs around it, Ryder quickly positioning himself so that he was between her spread legs.

Alexandria's heart hammered, beating so fast, so hard she thought it might burst out of her chest. She stared up at Ryder, and yes she was frightened. But somehow she didn't stutter, speaking to him. "Talking can help with a great many things..."

"But I don't want to talk." He informed her. "It's a waste of both our breaths."

"Then how else can I help you?" Alexandria asked, frightened but sincere in her desire to heal him. Her anxiety only mounted at the look that darkened Ryder's eyes, the man looking absolutely wicked. Something like a smirk crossed his lips, but it was angry. She watched with wide eyes as he lowered his face towards her ear, his voice a harsh whisper.

"You want to help me that badly, hmm?" He questioned, and his tongue darted out to trace along one edge of her ear. She actually twitched in response, shocked at the sensation. "Then quit talking, and let me fuck you."

The words were too crude, Alexandria flinching. She couldn't even gasp, Ryder suddenly biting down on the delicate lobe of her ear. It was just this short of hurting, a pained pleasure coursing through her. Alexandria was aware of her arms laying flat on the tile. She hadn't even tried to push him off her, laying almost docile beneath him.

"How about it?" He continued to tease her ear in between bouts of talking. "Up for a little sexual healing?"

"Ryder!" She gasped for he had shifted enough to place his hands on her breasts. He began fondling her, fingers massaging her flesh in a way that wasn't at all unpleasant. She felt the now familiar heat of her blush in her cheeks, Alexandria staring up at the shed's ceiling. She couldn't believe this was happening, and almost didn't hear his next words.

"Prove how devoted you are to helping me." He was goading her, hands busy on her breasts. "It should be no problem, right...? If you're sincere about helping me find my faith..."

"I am!" She immediately cried. His hands were feeling too good, the situation was rapidly deteriorating out of her control. She was shaking all over, and her trembling didn't all have to do with the cold. Or her fear. "But this...not like this!"

"Why not?" He growled. "Or are you not that devoted to your calling?"

Alexandria didn't like him calling into doubt her calling, the woman bringing up her hands. Putting them on his shoulders. She began pushing him, Ryder fighting her at first. "I've never balked at helping someone in need...But this..." She shook her head. "I don't believe for a second this will help you find your faith!" Abruptly, he rolled off her, but not without growling first. Alexandria got a sense of his movement, Ryder a fast blur as he retreated to the wall farthest from her. She slowly sat up, fixing her hair to cover herself once more.

"Ryder..." She glanced at him, not really sure what to say in the moment. Her heart still beat in an erratic way, and she felt an unfamiliar ache in her breasts. He had touched her in a way no one had ever done before, and she was as embarrassed as uncomfortable.

"Don't bother." Ryder snapped at her, then stalked towards the ruined door of the shed. She didn't turn to watch his progress, didn't move until she heard him let out an angry scream. It drew her to her feet, Alexandria turning in time to see Ryder standing outside in the rain. She wasn't sure what the scream meant, if he was sexually frustrated, or if it was pain associated with his lost faith. Nor did she call him back inside the shed, Alexandria deciding that one close call was more than enough for this day. And still she wanted to help Ryder, to heal him of this not often revealed pain that tormented him so. But she didn't have a clue where to begin, Ryder refusal to talk about it an obstacle Alexandria might not be able to overcome.

I was liking this chapter until it got all weird. I fear the second half sucks. T_T And I couldn't find a good ending line! Woe!

To Be Continued...

Michelle


	33. Chapter 33

The nurse Qualenn's portable was a standard model, similar in design to over a hundred brands. That made it's interface easy to navigate, even with the hurdle of the computer's language being set to Drule. Allura wasted no time, clicking on screens, entering into the control panel of the computer. It took some random clicking, but eventually Allura got to the screen that would allow her to change the operating system's set language. Typical of most computers, the portable had Basic as one of the recognized languages.

The computer let out a hum of sound, a timer icon appearing as the changes were brought into effect. The symbols of the Drule language changed, the writing now readable to Allura's eyes. She couldn't keep the smugness from filling her, though it was too soon to celebrate. Not until she was successful, Allura exiting the control panel. Her eyes briefly glanced at what was on the main screen, Allura seeing it was a medical file of some kind. Apparently Qualenn had been going over patient files, perhaps updating them even.

Allura didn't let her eyes linger on the file. She was already scrolling open the programs' menu, looking to establish a connection to send out a message to Arus. The program names were similar to the ones she was used to. It seemed the nurse hadn't bothered to change the names of anything on this computer. Allura noticed there was a lot of medical programs listed there, everything from emergency surgical procedures to what kind of medicines to prescribe for various maladies. There wasn't much else on the computer besides that, leaving Allura to realize this was a work computer for Qualenn.

She waited impatiently the few seconds it took to open up the browser that would allow her to contact another computer. She kept glancing up at the room's closed door, fearing it would suddenly spring open, revealing someone who would be very angry to catch her on this computer. But the door remained close, the browser finally opening. Allura immediately began typing out the long string of numbers that was the Castle of Lions emergency line. Someone would be there, monitoring the air waves. The fact that Allura used this particular number, would help prove her identity, for few other people even knew about the emergency line, let alone how to establish contact on it.

She finished typing in the number, and began to key in the sequence to send out the signal. Allura had no idea how many planets stood between Simestia and Arus, the girl prepared for a potentially long wait as the call was bounced along from satellite to satellite. Her breath held, Allura clicked the final button, sending out the signal. The timer icon appeared, the computer processing the request. Lights flickered and flashed, warning that the battery wasn't going to last for much longer. Allura could only pray it stayed powered long enough for her to speak to Coran.

She should have been praying for more than that, the computer suddenly making a loud beep of sound. It was a sound recognizable to her, the protesting noise of an error happening. Allura couldn't believe it, feeling a slight panic build up in her. She immediately reentered the necessary information, muttering at the computer to hurry as she waited for it to decide on what it would do. And then the error noise happened again, the damn browser remaining empty. She didn't understand what was going on, and she tried a third time to send out her call.

"Damn it!" Allura muttered viciously, slapping a hand against the side of the portable. She glared at the screen, agitated and fighting her frustration. It was hard to remain calm to think, Allura upset and not knowing why the computer was rejecting her request. The empty browser seemed to mock her, Allura lowering her face into her hands. She wanted to cry from frustration, from the agony of being so close to sending out a message only to be balked by an unknown error. She'd actually sit like that for several minutes, before Allura began rubbing her temples.

"All right...let's not rule this out completely..." She said, taking deep, even breaths. "What was it Pidge said to do, if a computer wasn't responding to my requests...?" Allura tried to think back to the lessons the young pilot of green lion had given her. She hadn't been that interested in learning how to hack a computer, or what went into repairing one. She could remember Pidge's frustration, the boy disappointed that Allura wasn't more of an attentive student. Allura wished she had taken a different attitude when it came to the lessons, the girl trying to remember something she could use.

"Come on Allura, THINK!" She urged herself. She'd go back to the program menu, the browser closed so that the medical files were up on the screen again. She ignored them, and began scanning the list of programs, hoping something would stand out. But nothing seemed promising, Allura abandoning this, to enter into the control panel again. She'd check out the options there, her memory being jogged as she spied an icon about connections issues.

"Of course!" Allura could have slapped herself, seeing that this computer wasn't currently set to send or receive messages. It wasn't on any network, didn't even have it's own server listed. But Allura began checking her options, finding that at one time there had been a network. It was one of the only ones listed in the drop down menu, and Allura selected it now. Immediately, information appeared, filling in the blanks of a form. She now knew the number needed to send messages to this particular computer, the portable having activated it's ability to send and receive messages.

"Okay...let's pray this works..." Allura said, and clicked on the icon that would allow her to send out a test signal. She wanted to cry when a new message popped up, the computer demanding she provide a password to access this feature. She had no idea what kind of password the nurse would use. Allura simply didn't know Qualenn well enough yet to even attempt a guess.

Time was passing quickly. Allura knew that for every minute wasted, it was a minute that brought her closer to being discovered by the Drule. And yet she refused to give up on the computer, Allura exiting the control panel. Opening other files, hoping to find some kind of clue or insight that would help her guess the password. Files were opened and closed, Allura skimming over them quickly. Medical terminology filled the screen, Allura not understanding half of what she read. But she'd keep on opening things, her desperation showing.

It would be during this time, that Allura would end up accessing the personal, private medical files of the Drules that had come to Simestia. She began searching through them, hoping to find Qualenn's, hoping there would be the clues she needed inside it. File after file was opened and closed, Allura spying name after name. Including Lotor's, Allura's fingers suddenly pausing on the keyboard.

She shouldn't pry. She wouldn't. Tough as it may be, Allura had to respect his privacy. It was only fair. Just as Lotor had things he didn't want known, so did Allura have her own secrets. But damn if she wasn't tempted, Allura having a near morbid curiosity to know, to understand just exactly what Lotor had been through. It was one of the hardest things she had ever done, Allura closing Lotor's file and continuing her search. But Qualenn's medical history told her nothing that worked as the needed password, leaving Allura to continue her near aimless searching.

And then she stumbled upon what had to be the nurse's diary. It was yet another invasion of privacy, but Allura told herself she was doing this for the greater good of the galaxy. She NEEDED the password. Needed to send out a message for help. Only then would she be able to return to Arus, and continue the fight against Zarkon. She had to do this, and Allura would, beginning to skim through the diary.

It wasn't an easy read. Qualenn had filled her journal with her thoughts and feelings about life as a nurse on Doom. She talked about the horrible things that had happened to the people, the different injuries Zarkon had caused in the various patients that ended up on the examiner's table. Qualenn would write in graphic detail, Allura feeling queasy as though she herself was there. Seeing the hurt, smelling the festering infections, trying to stop the bleeding and set bones.

It was a true nightmare. And as bad as it was for those Zarkon had tortured, Allura's heart went out to the people who were turned away from treatment. These were the Drules who were too poor to afford medical care, sick, even dying. And Qualenn and her colleagues hadn't been allowed to do anything. Not to cure, not to make those that were dying even a slight bit more comfortable. It was as though Zarkon was punishing them for being poor, torturing them in a different way by denying them treatment.

"So cruel..." Allura whispered, reading on. She was getting distracted from her true purpose. Allura couldn't stop reading, clicking the pages and no longer skimming over them. Qualenn seemed to work non stop, practically living in the small hospital. The few quiet moments she received, were spent sleeping, or writing in her diary. Allura began to suspect Qualenn had suffered from insomnia, too afraid of the nightmares to sleep. Expunging the horrors onto the written page in an attempt to get them out of her mind.

Allura had no idea what possible word could be Qualenn's password. She couldn't even figure out where to start guessing. Was there anything that stood out as more important than the rest? Something so memorable it had affected the nurse into using it as the password for her system? Allura read on, the computer beeping in protest. It's battery life was dying. Even if she discovered the password, the portable might no longer have enough power to send out a message. But her eyes were glued to the screen, Allura suddenly reading about Qualenn attending to a patient inside Zarkon's castle.

Allura didn't even realize what she was reading at first. She was too focused on the descriptions of the brutality done. Of the cut open flesh, skin having split under the constant assault of a whip's leather. Over two hundred lashings had been given out, the bleeding cuts raging in severity. They had gone untreated for days, infection having set in. Green pus had mingled with the blood, forming grotesque scabbing. The deeper cuts had been hastily sewn by an inexpert hand. They had had no choice in that, for otherwise the patient would have bled to death in the days that followed the whipping.

The patient himself was delirious, a burning fever raging threw him. He had to be tied down to the bed while they work to clean his wounds, the scabs being scrapped open so they could squeeze out the infection's pus. The deeper wounds had already begun to heal together. They would have to use a knife to slice them open to scoop out the pus. If they didn't, the infection might kill the patient. Regardless of what they did, those deep wounds were going to leave hideous scars on his back.

Just imagining them cutting open a sick man's back, the pus that had to be removed, it made Allura want to throw up. She was committed to reading the rest of the account, almost hearing Qualenn's voice as she described all they had to do to save this man. His blood had been poisoned by the infection, his feverish state making him delirious. He wasn't even aware of why they were doing what they did, the man trying to fight them even as Qualenn and the doctor tried to help treat him. His struggles only helped the newly opened wounds bleed harder. Even the chains could not stop his movements completely.

The doctor and Qualenn would have to remain in the castle, taking turns sitting with the patient. Tending to his every need. His back was so damaged, he couldn't lie on it without pain. Yet they feared he would let himself suffocate if they allowed him to lay down on his stomach. They could only try to make him comfortable. Could only pray for his survival.

Qualenn wrote how most of the time spent at the patient's side had been filled with his frantic moaning. A wordless sound, the man whimpering one moment, snarling the next. She felt he was being tormented by dreams, and Qualenn speculated he was remembering the abuse done to him. It would be days later, when the worse of the fever was gone, and his blood had been cleaned of the infection's poison, that he began to speak.

Allura pretty much leapt to her feet when she read Qualenn's detailed account of what the patient said. And all because the patient was speaking about her, moaning out Allura's name. Wanting to know if the princess of Arus was still safe. Allura felt tears well in her eyes, for it wasn't until that moment that she made the connection. It was Lotor she had been reading about, Qualenn never mentioning him by name.

Her vision actually blurred, Allura openly crying. But softly, not wanting anyone to hear, not wanting anyone to come investigate the sounds. She read more of the diary, learning how Zarkon had refused to allow the patient, Lotor, any medical or magical treatment until it was nearly too late. Even then the evil King hadn't been ready to admit he was wrong. But he had allowed Haggar to do what she felt was best, the witch summoning the doctor to the castle. There was nothing they could do about the scarring, the prince would carry those marks for the rest of his life. Which Qualenn feared would be a short one, given the severity and viciousness of Zarkon's attack.

Hands shaking, Allura made a decision. She closed the diary, and reopened the medical files, searching out the one with Lotor's name on it. It was a large file, filled with more information than should be possible for a healthy Drule of Lotor's age. Crying, sick with revulsion for Zarkon's abuse, Allura began reading the detailed documentation of Lotor's medical history. It dated back to when he was a young boy, the child suffering beatings so severe, it was a wonder Lotor had survived. Especially the one that had left him comatose for three days, with some sort of brain injury they had had to operate on in order for the prince to recover.

There was even a mention of the incident in which Lotor's mother had tried to kill them both. Bones had been broken, Lotor spending the summer on Simestia recuperating. The abuse changed when Lotor entered into the Drule Military Academy. He was out of his father's reach, but the boys there were apparently attacking the young prince. At least for the first few months of his first year at the Academy. Something would eventually happen to stop the attacks, Lotor suffering only the occasional black eye after being engaged in a brawl that had involved several other students.

Even the burns from his practice with a lazon sword, could not compare to the injuries he had suffered under Zarkon's hands. The medical file noted Lotor was thriving at the Academy in his last years there, the prince seeming happy for once. He would go on to graduate, to lead armies into wars with other worlds. He'd be successful at that until the missions to Arus began. Allura didn't need it spelled out for her to see that Zarkon began beating Lotor for his failures to capture Arus.

The medical file wasn't as personal an account as Qualenn's diary. It never went into such detail, never spoke of Lotor's concern for Allura. It barely spoke of the reason why Lotor was being punished, only mentioning that he had been tortured immediately upon return from another unsuccessful attempt at invading Arus. The last incident that involved Lotor being punished by Zarkon, dated less than a week before the members of the Galaxy Alliance were supposed to meet at planet Kirentya's embassy. A whipping had occurred, Lotor ended up bedridden with a fever. And yet he had still insisted on going to Kirentya, even though he was still weak and recovering from both the fever and the injuries done to his back.

Allura stared at the screen, feeling as if she had no more tears to let out. She was drained, both emotionally and mentally. Allura now had the understanding she had so desperately craved. It didn't make her feel better in the slightest. No wonder Lotor had wanted to run. No wonder Lotor thought abandoning everything was the smart option. He had been through just as much, if not worse than his people, suffering ever since he was a little boy. Something in Allura's heart broke, the girl realizing how damaged Lotor truly was. How broken he had become because of Zarkon's abuse.

She closed the files, and went into the control panel. Worked on erasing what she had attempted to do, Allura changing the computer's language back to Drule. Allura knew she should still be trying to hack the computer into contacting Arus, but right now she was numb. Hurting for Lotor, and wondering how if ever she could help heal him enough for the prince to want to return to Doom. To make him fight his father. But she also wondered if Lotor was even fit to rule in Zarkon's place. Allura didn't think Lotor would be a cruel and abusive bastard like King Zarkon, but the fact that the prince had turned his back on so many of his people? It didn't speak well of his character, of his decision making ability. And yet Allura could acknowledge Lotor had done what he had needed to do. Zarkon would have killed him otherwise.

It was such a sad, complicated mess. Allura sighed, the sound a half sob as she reached for the tissues. She used them to clean and dry her face, Allura trying to compose herself before leaving the infirmary. She wanted no one to question her upset, Allura not knowing how she would explain her tears right now. She couldn't admit to the truth, that she had discovered Lotor's awful, traumatic past during her attempt to engineer her own rescue.

The storm was still raging outside, the rain a loud background noise to Allura's thoughts. She'd finally leave the infirmary, walking a slow pace through the mansion. She didn't know what to do with herself, Allura's thoughts repeating the discoveries she had made. Reliving that horror, again and again. The princess thought she might have nightmares when she finally did sleep, Allura wishing there was something, anything that could help distract her.

But she kept looking at the Drules she passed, wondering what horrible pasts they hid from her. Haunted by what she did know, Allura spying Tamestra and remembering the woman's own sad story. She could barely manage a weak smile at the Drule female, Tamestra's gaze a concerned one. She set down the laundry she was folding, Tamestra coming over to engage Allura in conversation.

"Princess, is everything all right?" Tamestra asked.

"Yes..." Allura lied, quickly trying to cover her upset. "Did you hear about the accident? Is there any word yet?"

"No, none." Tamestra sighed, her own look upset. "None of us know very much of what is going on. Not with even the communicators being unable to be operated. We'll just have to wait and pray in the meantime, for their safe return."

"Pray..." Allura whispered, wondering how any of the Drules could still retain their faith in religion after all they had suffered through.

"Are you sure you are all right, princess?" Tamestra asked, and Allura nodded. Only to hesitate a second later.

"Tamestra...Zarkon is an evil man." She said that with a renewed certainty, watching the unease fill Tamestra's face. It was as though the Drule female feared Zarkon would somehow appear, or maybe the mention of his name brought up memories of the woman's own past suffering.

"Yes. He is the worst, the most evil man to have ever existed in the history of the Drule."

Allura could easily believe that! "I'm frightened." She confessed, which was a half truth. "What will he do to us, if he discovers where we have gone? What will he do to Lotor when he learns that the prince is still alive?"

"He'd kill us." Tamestra said immediately. "But before that, he'd make us suffer."

"Even the prince?" Allura asked, though she already knew.

"Especially the prince." The Drule female shudder, and Allura laid a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. "Zarkon has never let anything keep him from hurting another. Not even his family was safe from him."

Allura now knew how true that was, trying to keep from shuddering as she remembered Qualenn's detailed account of Lotor's infection filled wounds.

"The King...he kept the prince weak." Tamestra continued. "Lotor should have had no problem to beat him back. But Zarkon has NEVER played fair. He's always used others to weaken the prince, to hurt him. And once Lotor was hurt, he kept on hurting him, letting his injuries be that which held Lotor back." Her own haunted look had filled Tamestra's eyes. "How can anyone fight, when they are held down and beaten, ribs broken, body bruised? Zarkon is a bully. A coward who wouldn't fight fair. He only let Lotor free after the prince was too injured to hurt anyone. Princess..." Tamestra's tone was urgent, the woman staring at Allura. "There is no doubt in my mind, that in an fair fight, Lotor would win."

"Then we have to give him that chance." Allura said determinedly. Tamestra's eyes widened.

"What do you mean?"

Allura shifted, knowing this would make Tamestra uneasy. "We have to go back." She said. "We can''t leave the galaxy. We have to stay and fight Zarkon. Liberate the people of Doom from his control."

"It won't be enough to just fight him." Tamestra replied. "We have to KILL him. That's the only way any one of us will have any peace."

Allura was surprised. This was the first time one of these Drules had talked like this. Normally Lotor and them were so adamant about running away. That Tamestra could be brave enough to speak about the fact they needed to kill Zarkon, it sort of gave Allura hope. Maybe these Drules could have their minds changed, maybe they could be made to realize that fighting for everyone's freedom and peace of mind was better than only saving a few people.

This time when she smiled at Tamestra, it was stronger. "We will get that peace." She promised her. "I won't rest until everyone is saved."

"Everyone...including the Drule?"

"Especially the Drule!" Allura exclaimed.

"You'll be even more of a target now than you were then." Tamestra warned her. "Zarkon already wants you dead. And just because he blames you for what he views as a deficiency in Lotor. But if you try to go up against him, to save everyone...to free the Doom Empire from his control..." Tamestra trailed off with a shudder.

Allura didn't ask Tamestra what the Drule thought Zarkon would do. Allura could already guess from what Tesla had told her, and the descriptions of torture she had read in Qualenn's diary. Instead she seized upon something else, a questioning look in her eyes. "Deficiency?" Tamestra got a shifty look in her eyes, as though she didn't want to explain. Allura took hold of the woman's hands, tone almost begging. "Please. I want to understand. No, I need to...won't you tell me?"

"The...The King, he never approved of Lotor's love for you." Tamestra was speaking, but her voice was uncertain. Hesitant, the woman stammering at times. "Never approved of the things Lotor did to keep you safe."

"To keep me safe?" Allura asked, genuinely wondering about that.

Tamestra looked at her sadly. "Haven't you realized it by now? Haven't you figured out all he has done, all he has sacrificed to ensure your well being. Not just of you, but of your world too!"

Allura remembered the talk about how Lotor had kept Arus from being invaded. She hadn't believed him, hadn't understood anything. She still didn't understand, but she wanted to. "What did he do?"

"He's purposefully blown missions." Tamestra explained. "He's stopped attacks that would have destroyed Voltron, would have killed you in the process. He's put an end to the bounties on your head, making it known that anyone who so much as touched you, would pay!"

"Pay?" But Tamestra avoided clarifying just what form the punishment would take.

"Zarkon had an open bounty on your head, princess. He encouraged the soldiers to hunt you. To abuse you as they saw fit. He wanted you to suffer, and he didn't care if you were roughed up by others before landing in his hands. Lotor had to be harder, crueler to stop such assault from happening. It's enough to know he succeeded..."

Allura was trembling now. She remembered the soldier she had encountered, the incident that was the cause of so much of her panic. He hadn't been the only one to make an attempt on her, but that soldier had been the only one to get as far as he did. As close as he did. Thinking back now, Allura realized that the months after Voltron's revival, the soldiers from Doom had been half crazed. Targeting blue lion with an alarming frequency. The times the Voltron Force had fought the soldiers on foot, Allura had found herself often surrounded by many Drules. Keith and the other Voltron Force members working to keep her safe, keep her from being captured.

Things had changed once Lotor had taken over the Arus mission. Why hadn't she realized it sooner? The attacks stopped, the assassinations and near rape attempts. They had still tried to capture her, but it was under Lotor's orders. The prince had wanted Allura delivered to him. She now knew it was because he loved her, and had been deluded into thinking Allura would agree to become his bride.

Once Allura would have assumed Lotor just didn't want to share. That he wouldn't have wanted Allura if she was first abused by the soldiers, used to slake their lusts. Now she knew better, knew that Lotor simply wanted to protect her. To keep the woman he loved from suffering any kind of trauma. Tears filled her eyes, slipping down her cheeks. Tamestra made an alarmed noise, Allura letting out a strangled laugh.

"I can't stop them." She confessed, sniffling. How much worse she would have suffered without Lotor around to run interference between her and Zarkon! He had been saving her all this time, and Allura had never realized it. "Zarkon must have been very angry with Lotor."

"Yes." Tamastra solemnly agreed. "If he could have, he would have beat the love Lotor has for you, out of the prince. He tried many times, for each failure to capture Arus, Lotor was made to suffer. Princess...I know you must think him weak, a coward...but he is stronger, braver than you realize. He has to be, to go through what he did, and keep on holding on to the love of you."

She couldn't speak, nor did she know what to say to that. The detailed accounts of Lotor's abuse were filling her mind, Allura cringing inwardly for she understood so much of what had happened these last two years had been because of her. Because Lotor refused to give up his love of her, the prince refusing to betray that love and hurt Allura or her people.

Wordlessly, Tamestra moved. She'd come back with a hand towel, handing it to Allura. The princess would use it to dry her face, but her tears refused to stop. She was overwhelmed in the moment, coping with these new realizations. She'd still be trying to compose herself, minutes later when shouts were heard. Both women reacted, more than a little startled by the sudden noise.

"They're back." The Drule female said. She must have recognized one of the voices as belonging to one of the men that had gone out riding with Lotor and Vorlac.

"They must be." Agreed Allura, in response to the sudden commotion. People were running out of rooms, curious to see what was going on. Wondering and waiting for news on Vorlac's condition.

"Out of the way, out of the way!" A man was shouting. Allura and Tamestra stood in a doorway, watching as several Drules rushed forward. They were carrying a stretcher, an unconscious and bloody Vorlac laid out on top of it. Qualenn followed behind them, and briefly her eyes met Allura's. Her gaze was concerned, Qualenn nodding slightly. Allura took that nod to mean Vorlac would come through the worst of his injuries, the princess breathing a sigh of relief. Later she would have many questions, Allura wanting to know just what exactly happened. But for now it was enough to know Vorlac was okay.

Lotor was the last to come by, the prince's own shirt splattered with blood and dirt, even stains were on his pants from when he had knelt down in the grass. She could just picture him hovering concerned over Vorlac, doing whatever he could to stop the blood and make the man comfortable.

"It's not as bad as it looks." Lotor had stopped before Allura and Tamestra. The others were continuing on to the infirmary, but the prince had stopped to check on Allura. To reassure her. "He's a bleeder, but the cuts aren't as deep."

"What happened?" Tamestra asked.

"He was thrown and nearly trampled under his ride's hooves." Lotor explained. "Seems the beasts are scared of the storm. Each and every one of them freaked out at the sound of thunder. Vorlac just had the misfortune of not being able to get his mount under control...Qualenn says his leg is broken, but other than that and a few cuts and scrapes...he'll live."

"Why was he unconscious?" Allura asked.

"Qualenn gave him a shot for the pain. Seems he had an extreme reaction to it, it made him sleepy."

"I'm glad that is all that was!" Allura exclaimed, then smiled at Lotor. Damn, but her eyes were getting wet again. "I'm glad he's going to be all right. And I'm so glad no one else was hurt. That YOU weren't hurt..."

Lotor's arms were instantly around her, and she couldn't stop herself from stiffening completely. But she didn't scream, didn't start hyperventilating. Lotor's fingers were gentle as he touched her wet cheeks, the prince trying to brush away her tears. "Please Allura...nothing that happened today is reason for you to cry. We're all fine...we're all safe..."

He didn't know what she had discovered. Nor was Allura sure she could tell him. Lotor had been so adamant, so stubbornly insistent that Allura not find out about what had been done to him. It might be an issue of pride, or maybe Lotor had wanted to spare her feelings. Either way, she was unsure of what to do, what to say in the moment. She curled her hands on the front of his dirty shirt, and let herself lean into him. Taking strength from his support in this moment of weakness for her. Feeling gratitude well up inside her, combating some of the sadness and horror she was experiencing. Tamestra was right. Lotor WAS brave. Braver than Allura had given him credit for. There was strength in bravery, and through it, perhaps Lotor could overcome his own past to stand up and face his father once more. It was a hopeful thought, and one she clung to in the moment.

I feel a little meh over this chapter, especially the ending line...and it ran long too! I thought I'd have to have more of a Lotor Allura conversation, but by the time he showed up, the chapter was already pretty long. ^^;; Next chapter is supposed to be a Mara POV now...and then a Ryder one follows, unless I change my mind. But I don't think I will! :p

One last thing I couldn't make clear in an Allura POV...In my mind, Qualenn left her computer unguarded on purpose. She wanted Allura to discover the truth about what Lotor went through. Such a naughty but well meaning nurse. XD

To Be Continued!

-Michelle

Viciously Witty, love the name by the way! :) And thank you so much for giving this fic a try. I am so happy to hear you like it, and like this kind of Lotor too! I enjoy writing different kinds of Lotor, and setting up different kinds of scenarios and situations for him and Allura to meet in, deal with, even fall in love. ^_- They are so inspiring to me...given me hundreds if not thousands of ideas and never enough time to attempt them all. X_X

And triple whoo hoo for liking Ryder and Alex! :D You're right, Allura is strong but stubborn. And def needs to heal. I've been trying to get her to stop viewing the world so black and white like. I'm actually hopeful that this chapter (33) might help her even more with that now that she knows just how much Lotor suffered as well as the other people of planet Doom. I'm feeling overwhelmed by this one, cause there's still a lot I have to accomplish. And at this point I don't know which couple will give in, and make love first. *starts placing bets.*


	34. Chapter 34

Space stretched out endlessly before her, the distant light of stars winking in and out of existence. Behind her, the planet Kirentya continued along it's path, slowly spinning in orbit around it's sun. Mara wasn't concerned with the planet at the moment, keeping her eyes facing forward. The cock pit's screen was divided into subsections, one of which showing the pale purple planet behind her. On another screen, she could see red lion, Lance maneuvering it to stick close to her.

Somewhere, currently out of range of blue lion's recorders, the other lions of Arus flew. As did the last of the ships that were part of the escort of the various world leaders who were intent on returning to their home planets. The Voltron Force had been busy, patrolling the area. Watching over the ships, as they journeyed from Kirentya. Hyper space was a tricky tool to use. One could not enter or exit it too close to a planet's orbit. They had had to travel some distance, before the ships had begun the process of entering it.

Tension had been high during the journey. The Drules may have pulled back their ships, the armada seeming to have left this part of the galaxy, but the fear of them still remained. Fear and suspicion, everyone thinking the Drule would back stab and betray at the first opportune moment. Mara supposed she couldn't blamed them for that fear. Her people didn't have the most sterling of reputations. It was all thanks to Zarkon, the cruel despot not one to miss the ooportunity the Alliance had presented him with.

With fear running so strong, it was no wonder the call had come the instant the Drule ships had begun to pull back. Everyone had been waiting for this moment, and the world leaders hadn't wasted a second hurrying to the space port. The Drules barely had time to clear out to a respectable distance, before the Alliance was demanding the Voltron Force lead the charge into the space above Kirentya.

That had been roughly two hours ago. Two hours since Mara had first set foot inside blue lion. It had been an awe inspiring moment, the Drule female not immune to the sheer magnificence of one of the fabled lions of Arus. They were ships to be admired, even envied. Many people lusted for the lion's unrivaled power, the Galaxy Alliance included. And here she was, not only inside one, but piloting it. It was a heady experience, Mara both nervous and excited. She hadn't been able to keep from making mistakes, but that was to be expected given the situation. Her piloting skills came in handy, but nothing and no one had been able to prepare Mara for the reality of working a lion's controls.

It was different from any other ship she had piloted. Mara had gotten off to a shaky start, unsure of which buttons to push, which levers to pull to get the lion up and moving. The rest of the Voltron Force had been concerned by blue lion's delayed reactions. Fortunately Mara was able to learn on the go, blue lion padding forward on shaky feet. It would get easier the longer she was inside the lion, Mara figuring out some of the more basic programs simply by fiddling with buttons. The weapons system's controls were clearly marked, huge red buttons that had black symbols drawn over them. She had stayed well away from those buttons, not wanting to accidentally open fire on the people who were now her allies.

She would continue to learn. It wasn't possible to become an expert at piloting a lion in just a few hours. Not even a few days would be enough time. But Mara would adapt herself to the controls, to learning everything she could about piloting blue lion. Perhaps then, before a combat situation presented itself, she would be just a little wiser to the lion's controls.

Certainly as it stood now, it would have been absolute disaster for Mara to try and fight in blue lion. She would be just as likely to blow herself up, as well as any of her opponents! She continued to remain grateful that all she had to do was fly, Mara keeping an eye on the ships before her. Watching as another grouping of them broke off from the main group. Minutes later, they would glow, a brilliant white light that flickered and flashed and then winked out completely. The ships were gone with the light, vanished inside hyperspace. Mara didn't even know which planet those ships had belonged to, but it was one last group to guard. There was perhaps three more, and then the Voltron Force could dock the lions inside the ship that would carry them to Arus.

As interesting as it was to be piloting a lion, Mara could admit she was looking forward to the break. She too had been feeling tension, though it had nothing to do with the retreating Drules. Her tension was all based on the mistakes she was making, Mara fearing each error brought her one step closer to discovery. Her team members continued to express their concern, be it Mara was flying at too low a speed, or she had messed up a formation maneuver. She had studied Allura's life in depth, but there was things the Drules weren't privy too. That included some of the flight maneuvers, and strategies the lions used.

Of course, the Drules had guessed at some of those strategies. The lions had repeated several in the past, and Zarkon had had his best technicians studying the footage of the battles. Picking apart everything the lions had done, until the tacticians had figured out the strategy. Sometimes the Drule were able to hack into the frequency the lions used to communicate between each other. It was because of those hacks, that the Drule had names for some of the strategies and formations. Mara had had to study what was known about the Voltron Force's fighting tactics, to learn as best she could in order to pass at Allura.

It was a lucky break that Allura wasn't the best of the pilots. In fact the princess sometimes was barely adequate at flying blue lion. At fighting in it. Even two years later, she still made mistakes. Mara with her extensive skill in piloting, was able to make a good go at things, bringing herself up to Allura's level of expertise in piloting blue lion. If given a chance, and the proper training, Mara would easily be able to surpass the princess of Arus in this.

Another group of ships had just made the jump into hyper space. Mara recognized the make and models as being that of a planet Pollux. She hadn't had much chance to spend time with Allura's cousins, and for that Mara was glad. It was one less group of people to lie to, one less group of people to make believe Mara was Allura. She was busy enough with Nanny and the Voltron Force. She didn't need Allura's cousins wondering at any strangeness about her.

Arus would prove the ultimate test in Mara's acting abilities. In whether she could pull off this deception, surrounded by so many of the people who knew and adored the princess of Arus. There were people in the castle, Nanny included, who had been with Allura since she had been a small child. If anyone would notice anything off with Allura, it would be them.

Mara knew there was the potential for all this to backfire, to blow up in her face. She couldn't let that happen. So much depended on Mara's ability to fool everyone. If Mara was discovered, questions would be asked. Assumptions made. People would realize Lotor was not as dead as they had believed, and that he had taken off with the princess. Mara didn't fear the Arusians anywhere as much as she did Zarkon. She and Haggar would be in trouble, the tyrant King would be furious, enraged and vindictive over the deception. Mara and Haggar would make convenient targets, at least until Zarkon tracked down Lotor and the other Drules with him.

She was shuddering at the thought of Zarkon's brand of vengeance, when a voice called out to her. Or rather to the woman she was pretending to be, Mara noting how concerned Keith sounded.

"Is everything all right, Allura?"

"I'm fine Keith." Mara quickly reassured him. In the distance, she saw the second to last group of ships flash, then disappear. There was only the Arusian ships left, which meant the ride inside the lions was nearly over for the moment.

"Are you sure?" pressed the captain of the Voltron Force. "You seemed distracted this entire time."

Mara realized he was crediting her supposed distraction as the reason why Allura had made so many mistakes. "Just have a lot on my mind..." It was true too, Mara feeling the weight of her ruse bearing down on her. The weight of how much was at stake on her ability to fool everyone.

"Thinking too much will get you killed on the battle field." It was red lion, Lance having picked up on the conversation between Mara and Keith. "It's best to stay focused on the job at hand, and worry later about any problems that might be bothering you."

It was actually sound advice, Mara having learned that first hand. Thinking too much was indeed a distraction. One had to be able to focus, to cut out all thoughts but that of strategy. The Drule Military Academy tried to train the soldiers into becoming living weapons, people who reacted instinctively with their fighting skills. Not all the Drules got the training needed to become like that. The Academy was expensive, and many could only afford a few weeks at best. Zarkon didn't care, letting the Drules learn just enough to be competent at fighting his wars. It didn't matter to him if he sent them out unskilled. That more died than lived. The poor job situation on Doom allowed Zarkon his pick of soldiers, the people desperate for the wages life in the military could give them and their family.

"You can't cut off your thoughts completely." Argued Keith. "Yes, you shouldn't allow yourself to be distracted...but what kind of unfeeling beings would we be, if all we focused on was the fighting?"

"We'd be no better than the Drule." answered Lance quick enough. Mara had to fight to keep from scowling. It had been several hours since she had last heard a slur against her own people. Several hours that almost let her forget Lance was full of hateful opinions where the Drule were concerned.

"I doubt even the Drule think about fighting THAT much." Mara said, as diplomatically calm as Allura would be in the situation. "Think what you will Lance, but there has to be more to the Drule than just slave keeping war mongers." It was bold of her, Mara speaking in a way Allura would most likely not. But it was hard for her to hear her people put down so, even as Mara faced the harsh reality that the Drules reputation was misrepresented so.

"Yeah?" Lance sounded doubting. At least his tone wasn't actively suspicious in response to what Mara had just said. "What makes you think that?"

"It was their dead. Their desire to reclaim them, to do right by them." Mara explained. "No race that can honor their dead, respect them so, can be so simple to classify."

"She's right Lance." Keith spoke up. "Say what you will, but the fact remains they wanted a chance to reclaim them. So badly, they were willing to negotiate, to peacefully pull back from Kirentya."

"That was more surprising than anything." Admitted Lance. "I keep expecting the other shoe to drop. For the trap to be sprung."

"You're waiting in vain. There's been more than enough time passed, and now the ambassadors and Alliance members have all left. The window of opportunity has passed."

"The princess is right. If they were going to do something, they would have done it before everyone fled into hyperspace." Keith pointed out. "They've given up on wiping out the world leaders."

"For now at any rate." Muttered Lance.

"There won't come a chance like this again." Mara said. "I doubt the Alliance will organize such a meeting...not after the near disaster this one was!"

"Hey you guys, can you save the chit chat for later?" It was Hunk's impatient sounding voice that broke into the conversation. "Some of us would like to dock the lions, and go grab a bite to eat."

"Easy big guy, we're coming." Keith soothed, then ordered. "Pidge, do one last scan of the area. I don't want to risk any nasty surprise popping up just as we try to enter into hyper space."

"Gotcha." Pidge answered. Over the airwaves, Mara could hear the faint tapping of a keyboard. A series of beeps followed, the lions flying closer to the Arus escort. Five minutes would pass, and then Pidge would speak. "Everything's clear according to the scan. No ships in the vicinity, save for our own."

"Good to hear." Keith said. "Okay team, get ready to board the transport."

"I've already established contact with them. They are ready and waiting for our arrival." Pidge informed them.

"Stick close to me, princess." Lance urged, his lion still visible on her monitor.

"Right." Mara said, though she knew his caution was not needed. The Drule weren't going to come back. Not so long as Haggar still had command of the armada. She didn't want to think about what could happen once that armada reached Doom. Would Zarkon immediately come back to Kirentya? There was always the chance of that, although in all likelihood Zarkon would simply focus his forces on resuming the attempts to invade Arus.

Together with the other pilots, Mara followed red lion towards the ships from Arus. She already knew what the transport ship looked like, the vessel similar in design to ships that carried numerous one man fighter craft. There was probably some fighters already inside the transport, though Mara didn't think their numbers were many. The Alliance had come not to fight, but to negotiate. To play diplomat in deciding the fate of the applicant worlds. They would have brought only enough ships for an escort, never preparing for the chance that a full out war might happen on the host planet.

Red lion began slowing it's speed. She could see past it, see the docking bay doors pulling open. Mara began slowing blue lion down, and within minutes she and the Voltron Force were inside the hanger area. The docking bay doors closed behind them, the lions stalking forward on their paws. Ahead of them was another set of doors, tightly seal shut. Those doors would not open until the rear docking bay doors were closed, all in order to prevent what waited beyond them from being sucked out into space. That included the repair crew and other ship personnel who wandered the hanger area.

Mara could not get out of blue lion fast enough. She had been sitting for too long, and wanted to stretch her legs. She popped the hatch of blue lion, and climbed out. The others of her team were doing the same, Keith already on the ground by black lion's front paws. For one brief moment, she admired his form, the smooth lines of his muscled frame revealed in all it's glory by the clinging spandex. It was almost indecent how tight the Voltron Force's uniforms were, leaving little to the imagination. Mara's eyes half lidded, and then she abruptly snapped out of it. She knew Allura wouldn't go around staring half starved with desire at any male, let alone one of her teammates.

Sighing, she began leaping from joint to joint of blue lion. It just wasn't fair, Mara thought to herself. She was wildly attracted to Keith, and could do nothing to act on her desire. It was all because there was nothing on record of the princess of Arus being the flirtatious type, let alone involved with anybody she worked with. Mara wondered if it was because Allura had been too busy, or if it had to do with the woman who followed her around like a shadow. It might have been a little of both, though Mara felt uncharitable enough to blame it all on Nanny.

Gertrude was a tyrant of a different kind from Zarkon, ruling over her charge with a firm, unyielding hand. Mara shuddered, just remembering the way Nanny had carried on about Allura going out to lunch with the Voltron Force. The woman had been practically scandalized at the thought of Allura out without a chaperone, and alone with four men. Mara wondered what Nanny thought would happen. It wasn't as though the four male members of the Voltron force were men of an ill reputation. They would have never done anything to Allura, and would have done their damnedest to make sure nothing bad happened to her. Even if Mara as Allura had invited that trouble, she was sure Keith and the others would have run interference. Even Lance, who liked to sometimes encourage Allura's rebellion, wasn't about to let the princess into a situation that was over her head!

But the men meant well. They loved Allura, cherished her as a friend and a sister. They wanted to protect her, without restricting her freedoms. It was something Mara could appreciate, the Drule female hoping there would be more chances for fun like the lunch had been.

She landed nimbly on her feet, the action holding a bit more grace than a human should posses. But no one seemed to notice, the people here without comment as they greeted the Voltron Force. Mara joined them, listening to the reports come in. It appeared the ships were ready to enter into hyperspace, and were just waiting for the lions to be secured. Keith would give the okay for the restraints to be snapped onto the paws of the lions, and then the Voltron Force would move on.

They weren't quite relaxed yet. Mara could respect that they wouldn't let their guards down until the ships were in the safety of hyper space. Only a fool would do otherwise in a war, no matter who their enemies were. She walked with them, listening to them talk and tease, but there was an edge to their voices. They were still nervous, still expecting a last minute attack. It made her wonder if there was any chance for these battle hardened soldiers to ever make amends with the Drules they had fought for so long.

"All I'm saying..." Lance was speaking. "Is that I won't be able to completely relax until we're back on Arus."

"But we won't be able to truly relax." Argued Keith. "Zarkon will continue to try and invade. Even now he has some of his forces fighting Garrison's over Arus."

"Yeah, but that's normal for the Drule." Lance retorted. "I understand them better when they are trying to fight us. It's when they do things like make a temporary truce in order to reclaim their dead, that makes me more worried."

"Does that mean you rather fight than make peace?" A curious Mara asked.

"Do not get me wrong, princess. I'm all for peace, if that is even possible with the Drule. But I don't like it when they do something unexpected. When their motives aren't clear." Lance told her.

"They wanted their dead. What's unclear about that?" questioned Hunk.

"I just find it hard to believe they'd give up the chance to wipe out so many key members of the Alliance. Think of the worlds that would be in chaos right now, if they're leaders had been murdered. This was an opportunity the likes of which Zarkon won't ever get again. Not in this lifetime no doubt. I just can't, won't believe he'd put that side just cause some religious fanatics got upset over their dead."

"Maybe Zarkon didn't know." Pidge suggested. "Princess Allura never did speak with him. All her negotiations were with the witch!"

"The witch is as bad as Zarkon." Lance dismissed.

"Clearly she's not, if she honored the truce." Mara pointed out, stiff with annoyance.

"That's what I can't figure out! It's going to bother me for a long time too." Lance sighed. "I thought we knew the Drules well enough to predict everything they could try to do..."

"Lance, we've clearly barely touched upon the surface of the true face of the Drule." retorted Mara. It was a flash of sudden inspiration, Mara almost sly as she said the following. "But maybe we can do something about that. Maybe we can..."

"Can do what?" Lance interrupted. He was immediately shushed by the others.

"We need to learn more about the Drule." Mara said firmly. "We need to study them, beyond the faces they present us in battle. We need to learn about the people. About the kinds of hopes and dreams they have..." And maybe through that learning, the real situation on Doom would be brought to light.

"What's there to learn?" Asked Lance to Mara's frustration. "The Drule are motivated by greed, blood lust, and the hunger for power."

"That's certainly what Zarkon is motivated by." Muttered Hunk.

"There has to be more to his people then that!" Mara exclaimed. "We know so little about the Drule themselves."

"It's kind of hard to get to know them, in case you hadn't notice princess." Lance's sarcasm was obvious.

"With that shield up around planet Doom, it makes it difficult to do much of anything." Pidge said, nervously adjusting his glasses. "Garrison hasn't even been able to land many spy probes on Doom's surface." That Garrison had landed any spy probes at all was news to Mara. She wondered what if anything Garrison had discovered, a thought that wasn't completely paranoid suspecting that certain war hungry people like Grants would hide the truth in order to keep other worlds supporting the war with the Drule.

"If only there was a way to speak with the average people." Mara sighed. "The people who do not fight in Zarkon's war."

"Wow, what happened with the Drule have really got you thinking!" Hunk exclaimed.

"Hasn't it done the same for you?" challenged Mara. "Seeing their willingness to work with us to gain back their dead? Doesn't it give you hope that there is more to the Drule than what Lance and Grants would have us believe?"

"Hey don't lump me in with that jerk." Protested Lance.

"I don't know what to believe princess." Hunk admitted. "It wasn't like anything I've come to expect from the Drule."

"None of us were prepared for today to end so peacefully." Keith pointed out. "But it makes me think that maybe there is hope. That maybe we could have a peaceful resolution one day."

"Keith..." Mara was sure her eyes were shining, her look admiring as she glanced at the captain. He seemed to grow flustered in response, ducking his head shyly.

"I'm not saying we'll be able to live in peace so long as Zarkon rules...but maybe, just maybe we can reach an understanding with the Drules themselves." He said.

"Yes, I'm sure of it!" Mara was excited, clasping her hands together in a gesture she had seen Allura do countless times before. "We should always strive for peace over war. We shouldn't have to kill the Drule, anymore than they should have to kill us!"

"It'll take a lot more than some concern over their dead for me to believe peace can be achieved in this lifetime." Proclaimed Lance. He walked away before Mara could say anything else, Keith placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her from chasing after Lance.

"Let him go." The captain advised. "He's still got a lot to work out where the Drule are concerned."

"Like what?" Mara asked, at the same instant Pidge spoke.

"We all do." She glanced at the young pilot, seeing he was touching his wrist. His gloves covered it from sight, but Mara realized he was touching over where his tattoo was. The mark of a slave of Doom. Understanding dawned in her eyes, Mara remembering before these men had become the Voltron Force, they had been space explorers working under the command of Galaxy Garrison. They had been on a mission to discover if the legend of Voltron was true, and to revive the robot if they could. Only, they had been captured in a Drule raid before they could get to Arus. Taken back to planet Doom, and branded as slaves.

"It must have bee terrible." Mara said out loud. "The things you saw, the things done to you..."

"Didn't stick around long enough for too much to happen, thankfully." Keith looked at her now, Mara touching the hand of his that was on her shoulder. "But it was enough to leave a lasting impression on us."

"I'll try not to get so upset at Lance from now on." Mara said, feeling chastised.

"Don't hold back your opinions though! He needs to hear them. We all do." Keith told her. "It helps to be reminded that maybe the Drule aren't all bad."

"It's not like we saw much of Doom." Added Hunk. "We spent most of our time around Zarkon's soldiers, and inside the castle dungeons..."

"It was enough for me. Just thinking about the dungeons is almost enough to spoil my appetite!" complained Pidge with a scowl. "Come on guys, let's put aside all this talk for now and get something to eat!"

They all glanced at Mara, waiting for what she had to say. "Sure, let's go." She voiced her agreement, knowing she had a lot to think about. Not just about improving her skills as blue lion's pilot, but about these men. About what they had been through, that had left them so divided on their willingness to give the Drule people a chance. Mara thought she was closer to understanding Lance better, to know he wasn't just repeating adnauseum the rumors and gossip about Doom. He had experience with the Drule, with the nastier elements of life in the castle. He had probably seen the people enslaved in the dungeons, might have even heard some of their horrible stories. No wonder his perception of the Drule was so unyielding to a new concept.

Following in the steps of the Voltron Force, Mara wondered if there was some way to change Lance's opinion about the Drule. It might be a huge undertaking, but she felt it would be worth it. And it would be good practice, for to help one person accept the Drule was just one step towards helping the rest of the galaxy to come to a better understanding of Mara's people and their plight.

There was of course some people who might never change their views. Nanny came to mind, Mara quickly shaking her head no. She didn't want to think about that woman, didn't want to think about the people like Grants who would always hate and despise the Drule. She'd much rather concentrate on the positives, on the hope that she could somehow help to bring about a new reputation for the Drule.

But for now, she was content to listen to the Voltron Force talk and joke about. The hot topic of choice was clearly the meal they were about to have. Pidge and Hunk dominating the conversation with their hunger. Keith wasn't talking much, content to just listen to the two big eaters of his team. Mara didn't try to talk, not caring much about what they would eat, so long as it was something that tasted better than rations.

Pidge and Hunk seemed to know their way around the ship, at least when it came to finding the cafeteria. They walked in the lead, heading determinedly towards the meal that beckoned them forward. Keith was a step behind them, and Mara a step behind him. As she grew content to listen to their talk, she began studying Keith from behind. Letting her eyes rove over his body. Down his broad back, until she was admiring the view of his backside. Even over his ass, the spandex was form fitting, molding almost lovingly to his rear. Mara liked what she saw, admiring his well formed bottom right up to the point an aghast voice hissed Allura's name.

"Princess Allura!" Mara didn't look up in time, not until Nanny was standing in front of her. It was clear by the look on the woman's face, she had noticed just where Mara's eyes had been.

"Nanny..." Mara didn't have to fake the embarrassed guilt the princess would have felt in the moment. "We were just going to grab a bite to eat...?" It ended in a question, the older woman scowling at her.

"You won't be able to sleep if you eat this close to bedtime." It was a clear rejection of the plan, Nanny reaching to take Mara by the arm. Mara tried to evade that grab.

"I won't eat then. But there's some things I'd like to discuss with my teammates."

"You can discuss them some other time." Nanny said firmly.

"But..."

"But nothing!" This time Nanny caught Mara by the arm, and all but dragged her away from Keith. The three men had stopped to watch what was happening, expressions ranging from amused to sympathetic. "You spent enough time with the boys today. Anymore and they'll be a bad influence on you!"

"We will not!" Pidge protested. Nanny ignored him, dragging Mara down the hall. She talked the entire time, lecturing Mara on the proper conduct of a princess. Apparently that conduct did not extend to staring at a man's butt, Nanny tsking in disapproval over Mara's shameless display. Mara didn't think what she had done was that bad. It wasn't like she had reached out and touched Keith there! Fortunately she kept from saying such a thing to Nanny, not wanting to give the woman any further fuel to her tirade.

Nanny's mouth was a tireless thing when reprimanding someone. Especially Allura! She would have to listen to Nanny for nearly another hour yet, the woman unrelenting as she watched Mara get ready for bed. It was another too early turn in for the Drule female, Mara trying not to groan at the thought of having to spend all these hours pretending to sleep. The only plus side to going to bed so early, was it allowed her to escape Nanny and her near endless nagging. And even then it almost wasn't worth it, Mara sighing as she settled down against the pillows. She wouldn't sleep anytime soon. Her mind would be busy thinking about everything, from Lance to the fact she would soon be making decisions that affected the governing of Arus. She couldn't stop the thoughts of Keith slipping in, Mara remembering how he had looked in his uniform. She nearly groaned again, realizing thoughts like that were going to make the night even more restless for her.

Yeah! Finally got this damn chapter over with! *tap dances* It got a little to the point it didn't want to end. X_X I had a point where it could have ended, but I was enamored with the thoughts of Mara checking Keith out and getting caught by Nanny. So had to put that in...and then it tried to turn into the chapter that would never end. *shakes fist at it, then goes to sleep*

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Viciously Witty, thank you. :) I'm glad you like the discovery scene. Ah...as for Ryder and Alexandria, well...Ryder's got some baggage of his own, that you'll see...at least in his thoughts. It's not something he's ready to share with Alexandria...and then you'll see why I felt do frustrated and disapointed with the chapter where Lotor and Ryder talked, and briefly explored the stuff about when they met at the Drule Military Academy. Let's just say Ryder's past is not pretty...but then most of the Drules here have been through hardships. *group hugs for them all*

Unfortunately, I feel stumped on how to show Lotor in action in terms of being a leader. There will come fights later, but maybe she can see him do some pratice spars with some of the other people. *face faults at the thoughts of everything I still have to do.* Oh wait! I think I just plot bunnied myself...I've been planning to have them, a big group of them go to the city for that festival/holy day celebration thing. Lotor could take charge there, if some kind of incident happened. I have to think on this more...but in a way you helped me at least start to think of how to handle the leadership quality aspect...maybe even Lotor in action being brave! :D

Don't worry about typos with me. Heck, no matter how much I reread and spellcheck, I always find typos in my own stuff. ^^'' I'll try not to second guess myself...been better at it, but sometimes I get so frustrated with myself when I can't get the chapter to live up to my expectations of it. As for frequent updates, I live to write. But this year, I've actually slowed down a lot. -_- It's mainly due to medical/health problems that started in November...sometimes I can't concentrate cause of them, so can't focus to write. I'm also juggling this fandom with my other one. But I'm serious when I say I seem to live to write...I actually made a New year's resolution to try and play some of my huge video game backlog. I was doing well for the first two weeks, then the story ideas started demanding to be written and well...resolution has been broken! And thanks again! I love hearing from those who are reading along. :)

Wade Wells, hello! Ah well when you read about all of Ryder's past, the events leading up to him ending up in the Drule Military Academy, and his losing his faith...then maybe you'll better understand why I was so upset with 28. For some reason, I just couldn't convey the information to my satisfaction. X_X Course now if I go back and reread it, I might LIKE that chapter more than I first did. Amazing how some time and distance can make a chapter seem better! XD And thanks for the loyal following of this story! *hugs*

Glad you like Ryder so much! He's smitten and hating it! Tee hee! In my head, the cannon for the Drules is when they fall, they fall hard and fast. Sorta like how Lotor did for Allura, Ryder did for Alexandria (only he's so in denial.) and Mara is for Keith! Ha ha ha! I wonder if you're satisfied...this chapter 34 was a Mara chapter. When you said a Keith chapter, do you mean a Keith POV? I don't think I'll have a Keith POV for this story, unless maybe very far in the future. Right now, he's so in the dark, it might not be much content for me to write about. Plus some things I want to remain a mystery to Mara AND the readers, until Mara discovers the answers. Like the snoop in his office/bedroom scene I have to write most likely once they get to Arus.

As for Allura...oh she's not going anywhere just yet. Tee hee! I have to get all the relationships advanced, have to get my couples all lovey dovey or close to lovey dovey. (This doesn't mean sex.) Ryder I have an idea...heck I thought someone should cause a bed to break their first time...I don't think it can be Lotor Allura, since she had a traumatic incident that i havent' revealed all the details of yet. I've hinted at it pretty hard, but there's a twist that will bring some relief. But I think Lotor has to be extra careful with her, not to frighten her their first time. As for Mara Keith, I know a lot about their first time and when it happens. But it's still far away...one thing I have to do, is walk a fine line of balance. I don't want people to say Keith is loving Mara cause he thought she was Allura. I want him to be shown as attracted to who Mara is...it's a very dififcult, tricky thing...I hope I am up to the challenge. X_X

I'm actually hoping to have a scene where Allura and Lotor sit down and talk...and maybe she finally gets over her relucatance to talk about her past trauma to him, since she now knows what he has been through himself. But first I have a Ryder POV to do. Which is usually fun! But not so fun is his past on Doom. =/ And thank you so much again! *hugs*


	35. Chapter 35

There was the lazy pitter patter of the rain, the drops falling gently from the sky. It wasn't enough to thoroughly soak anything, the rain more nuisance than danger. It had taken time for the rain to get to this point, the storm having raged for hours. Ryder had spent most of those hours standing under a tree, allowing himself to be pelted with the worst of the storm. The rain that fell now was enough to keep his hair from drying, Ryder's dark locks plastered against his skin. He didn't bother to brush his bangs aside, instead staring broodingly through them.

His back was to the tree, Ryder leaning against some fruit bearing oak. It was to his convenience that he chose to position himself in such a way as to avoid looking at the tool shed. But though he couldn't see the ramshackle building, he was aware of it. Aware of both the building, and the woman who hid herself inside it. He thought her smart to stay hidden, Ryder not trusting the mood he had been in. The mood he was still in, even hours later.

The storm's rain had been cold and he was being foolish. Had been ever since he had stalked out of the shed. But Ryder had almost preferred to get sick, rather than remain inside with the priestess. With a woman who had suddenly taken it upon herself to try and heal him, willing to do just about anything to soothe his tormented soul except give him the only thing he could take comfort in. The solace of her body.

His hands clenched into fists at his sides. He was cursing himself a fool before the words were finished. Alexandria meant nothing to him. Nothing at all. There would be no comfort, no lasting solace in fucking her. There would be pleasure yes, but it would be just a moment that would end in the blink of an eye. She had been right to refuse, right to know that giving herself over to his attentions wouldn't do anything towards healing his broken faith. Nothing and no one could. No matter how beautiful a woman, or earnest her desire to help was, nothing could ease the pain of his shattered faith.

He let out a low growl, none of his agitation going away. It was all her fault. All because Alexandria had chosen to pry where she had no business going. She had found a wound Ryder thought long over healed, and with those delicate nails, had torn it open. Leaving him bleeding in pain. The pain was as raw as it had been the day his faith had died, Ryder wanting to scream from the agony of it. It would have been a protesting sound, Ryder not wanting to remember, not wanting to feel the same sorrows that had burned through him, stealing his breath and leaving him a crying mess on the floor all those years ago.

And yet the memories stirred, things he had actively spent blocking out. Things better left not thought about, Ryder not wanting to dwell on the details of the day his family had died. He snorted then, one of his fists pounding against the tree behind him. Saying his family had died was too nice a word for what had really happened. As though they had expired from some illness or accident. But it was no accident they were dead, Ryder remembering the screams. Remembering how his own voice had pleaded with anyone who would listen, but especially with the Gods his own parents had taught him to worship.

He had screamed himself hoarse, a young boy just barely on the cusp of adulthood. Too young to have ever suffered any real loss beforehand, it had been a shock to everything he had ever known to have his whole family wiped out. And all because of his own actions!

That fist of his hit the tree again, Ryder's growls continuing. It was either that or start screaming, and he wasn't about to be that undignified. Not again, not when he had already screamed once this day. A scream that had been born of his frustration and misery, Ryder fighting the feelings the priestess had roused in him. It was a devastating mix, both lust and sorrow. A mix perhaps only Alexandria could have managed, her delectable body calling to him, even as her innocent desire to help him had done more harm then good.

The wounds of his past were torn open, leaving him exposed to the power of his memories. He tried to control them, tried to stop them from taking him over. But unbidden, he saw them. Images of his family, memories of his mother's kind smile, his father's stern expressions. Of his brothers and sister, playful imps that had delighted in teasing one another. The images should have relaxed him, but they were marred with the blood of his past. Leaving the good memories tainted, Ryder recalling the lifeless look in his mother's eyes. The blood she had been laying in, the puddle expanding around her. Growing in size and mingling together with similar puddles.

His fist struck the tree again and again, Ryder trying to use the pain to block out those unpleasant moments. It was a failing effort, Ryder remembering the King's smile. A malevolent smirk, the man speaking. Voice loud and mocking, taunting Ryder with the fact it was his own fault his whole family was dead. Soldiers had been present, mostly men, but a few women too. All wearing a different range of expressions, from a careful blankness, to outright pity. Even sorrow for the boy's loss, or shame for what they had been forced to do.

Ryder remembered the soldiers' grabbing hold of his arms, stopping the young Drule from rushing the King. Zarkon hadn't been afraid of him, nor had he been angry by Ryder's hissed out curses. He had been so young, he hadn't even learned how to growl like a man, sounding more like an enraged feline than a threatening Drule. Zarkon had looked at him with amusement, eyes practically dancing with glee. He had enjoyed watching Ryder's family die, almost as much as he took pleasure from Ryder's pain. A pain he wasn't going to end, Zarkon telling him he was going to live.

Ryder hadn't been able to process the concept of living without his family. Nor had he been ready to embrace the idea of being molded into the perfect instrument for Zarkon's use. To have his skills used to further the King's own ambition. Those very skills that had led to his downfall, to Ryder's family being slain. And all because Ryder had been both curious and arrogant, wanting to show off his genius.

Ryder was smart. To the point it had done him more harm than good. A brilliant mind, he had shown a talent with computers that few possessed, be they children his own age, or grown men and women. By the time he was close to fourteen years of age, Ryder was being actively courted by several companies and even a few nobles. He was wanted for his superior skill, valued for his intellect when it came to all things related to computers.

His family flourished under the attention Ryder was getting, lavish gifts and money being awarded to them. His future seemed bright, prospective employers fighting over the chance to pay for Ryder's education. His family treated Ryder as though he was their own personal blessing, grateful for that keen mind that had allowed them to prosper. Their home might not have been a mansion, but it had been better than what most Drules on Doom had. It was practically unheard of for a family that size to be well off and not have been an active part in Zarkon's military.

He pounded his fist harder against the tree. His family should have been free of the evil of Zarkon's rule. His parents had known to stay off the King's radar, to play good citizens rather than attract Zarkon's attention. His brothers and sister, though rambunctious, had been too young to cause any real trouble. They should have had their whole life ahead of them, if not for Ryder's curiosity.

He reviled his curious nature. A nature that even as a boy had led him to exploring. An exploration that went from his physical surroundings, to the many realms of the digital. Using that same skill, and knowledgeable brain, he had begun exploring the world online. And though it was vast, a seemingly limitless highway of information, Ryder soon chafed at the restrictions that the Drule's own King had placed on such a valuable tool.

Ryder knew that on other worlds in the Denubian Galaxy, there were no such restrictions on just where a computer could take you. At least, none so strict as that which existed in the Doom Empire. The King, he kept tight control of the Drules' online use, preventing them from accessing sites and information on other worlds' servers. Nor were they allowed to freely mail each other between worlds, the electronic transmissions going through a filtering process. It was common knowledge that any electronic missives that went out, were first handled by the proper authorities, sometimes heavily edited before arriving at their destinations. Zarkon wanted to limit what his people had to say, preventing them from so much as crying out for help to the other worlds.

It was different as a soldier. Being in Zarkon's military gave those Drules a new kind of freedom, limited though it was. Their transmission were still scrutinized, but they were allowed to contact other worlds provided your rank had enough clearance. It was a system meant to limit the Drules, to keep them oppressed. To make sure no one outside the Doom Empire knew what was really going on under Zarkon's rule.

As a boy, Ryder had chafed at these limitations. But they were never obstacles, not for one as smart with computers as Ryder had proven to be. It had been a game, to unravel the blocks and restrictions that censored and limited his usage of the net. He easily circumvented the very things that kept others from contacting worlds not part of the Doom Empire, Ryder innocently trying to make friends. He developed programs that disabled the very checks and balances of a system meant to keep all computers inside the sphere of Zarkon's influence. And he had fun doing it, hacking them apart, broadening his knowledge horizon.

If that wasn't enough, Ryder began to challenge himself. To actively hack the people who wanted to employ him. It was all meant to be innocent, a testing of his skills. A way for Ryder to continue to prove he was the best at what he did. He never dreamt in those days, that his hacking would lead to such calamity, Ryder beginning to test the programs that guarded the government's own database.

He didn't realize in time, the trap laid out for him. That someone had noticed his entry into the highly restricted data. They tracked his movements easily, Ryder not at all careful about hiding what he was doing. For all his smarts, he was too eager to show off. Too proud and too sly. He'd hack into database after data base, downloading information that he didn't even have time to properly read. The challenge goaded him on, Ryder wanting to hack into that which had the tightest of security. That of the King's own computer.

Was that the moment he had gone too far? Or had Ryder already been lost the first time he had hacked into the government's confidential files? Did it even matter? His family still paid the price, Zarkon ordering Ryder and his family be brought to the castle. He remembered the day as though it was yesterday, his parents nervous. They hadn't yet known to properly fear what this summons meant. They had actually thought the King was like all the other nobles who had paid attention to their son. Never did they dream of the horrors that awaited them, the family innocent as they bundled up their children into their best clothes. Ryder's sister had worn a new dress, the girl young enough to wear a multitude of colorful ribbons in her hair. His brothers had chafed at the idea of wearing such finery, more interested in playing then meeting with a King.

And yet they had all gone to the castle. All six of them. His brothers had shown interest when they saw the soldiers waiting for them, the young boys thinking their assault rifles a cool looking weapon. Little did they know those very rifles they admired, would be turned against them, the bullet lasers tearing holes into their tender, unprotected flesh.

They hadn't even gotten inside the castle before Zarkon himself strode out to meet them. He had been smiling even then, a twisted expression that showed off his sharp teeth. The anticipation in his eyes had alerted something in Ryder's father, the man protectively guiding his family to stand sheltered behind him. It would make little difference, the bullet lasers built to tear through flesh and into the people behind him.

Not that they shot on sight. Not when Ryder was close enough to his family to be caught in the cross fire. Someone would take him by the arm, a sad looking woman who began trying to lead him away. A word from Ryder's father had him hesitate, the woman pulling in return. Until he stumbled forward, dropping down to his knees and was dragged along the rough gravel ground. Even with the fabric of his pants in place, his knees had been skinned, Ryder hissing in pain.

That pain was nothing compared to what would soon happen. Ryder would never forget it, that smirk on Zarkon's face. The way the King's voice oozed satisfaction as he talked of how troublesome Ryder had been. His mother had let out a strangled gasp, realizing the true extent of what her son had been up to in those past few months. His family wasn't the only one learning of Ryder's folly. It was being broadcast, the very moment his family was massacred in retaliation for Ryder's crimes against the Doom Empire caught on film.

Zarkon made sure to let Ryder's parents understand why they were about to die. Why their children were going to die as well. He made sure to spell out every detail, as though trying to instill in the family, a hatred for the child that had once been their blessing, their star. Ryder couldn't even say for sure if Zarkon had failed in that endeavor. It wasn't as though his parents had lived long enough to damn him on their own.

It was a hopeless, sad situation. Ryder's father had bravely shoved at his wife, urging her to take the children and run. Even if she had made it inside the cruiser, it wouldn't have mattered. Even if she drove away, where would she go so that she and her children would not be forever hunted by Zarkon and his soldiers? And yet she had tried to get away, clinging to his brother's hands, screaming at his sister to move. By this point the three had been crying, confused and picking up on their parent's agitation.

Ryder remembered the stiff back of his father, the man facing the squad of soldiers. He seemed unflinching as they aimed their weapons in his direction, actually spreading his arms in a welcoming gesture. He had been so brave, welcoming death if it meant his wife and children could get away. And still he let out a pained cry when the first bullet lasers tore into him, someone taking him out by the knees. He had staggered, and even as he fell more shots were fired into him. Untill he lay in a crumpled mess on the gravel, blood seeping out of his many wounds.

Ryder's mother had screamed when her husband had fallen, actually turning to look. The first bullet laser caught her in the chest, blood spurting out of her still screaming mouth. The children had frozen in place, the boys clinging to their mother's hands. The little girl had been whimpering loudly, accompanied by the weak growls of her dying father.

Ryder can remember being frozen in place until the first shot took out his mother. And then he had fought, screaming, biting down onto the arm of the woman who held him. She had cried out, but didn't let go, enduring more of his abuse as he fought to get to his family. Another soldier would slap him across the face, trying to subdue Ryder. He had been dazed by that blow, knowing the man had held back his strength. Otherwise Ryder would have lost consciousness, and that was something Zarkon would not allow. The King had wanted Ryder to witness this, to know that what was happening was all the boy's fault. By the time his brothers and sister were killed, Ryder was on his knees, choking on his own vomit.

A shadow had fallen over him, expensive boots stopping just in his range of sight. He hadn't looked up, not until someone grabbed him by his short hair and forced him to meet the King's merciless gaze. His eyes had glittered with cold amusement, the King pleased. Reminding Ryder of why this had all happened. How it was all Ryder's fault for hacking into places he shouldn't have.

A sudden burst of energy had over took him, powered by his grief and his rage. Ryder had tried to lunge for the King's throat, even as hands gripped him harder, pulling him back. Zarkon had merely laughed, inordinately pleased by Ryder's show of defiance. Purring as he began to speak on just what plans he had for Ryder. Zarkon would explain to the young boy Ryder had once been, that his skill was such he would be given a high position under Zarkon's command. To some it might seem the King was rewarding a hacker for his impertinence, but any who would have been encouraged to try similar, were stopped cold by the massacre of Ryder's family. It was a most effective threat, Zarkon letting all would be hackers know that there would be a price for their curiosity, their arrogance. Ryder had been both rewarded and punished in one breath, the King intending to pay for his schooling. To ship him off to the Drule Military Academy, where Ryder would learn about discipline, and how to stop being a sniveling, crying brat.

Again Ryder had tried for Zarkon's throat, the soldiers easily holding onto the enraged boy. Ryder had sworn he would never work for Zarkon, never ever do his bidding. He had goaded the King to kill him, to end him or else. Zarkon had used Ryder's hate, his grief, and his desire for revenge, mocking him with the knowledge that the boy was unable to do anything to the King. Purring at him to live long enough to get stronger, to use his hate and desire for revenge as self motivation to keep on living.

Ryder had hated to do anything Zarkon commanded of him. But he HAD lived for revenge. He still did, though back then he had thought to use Lotor in an attempt to give Zarkon a taste of what Ryder had been through. Never had he dreamt Zarkon wouldn't have cared if his son lived or died, Lotor as abused as anyone else who had the misfortune of coming face to face with the King.

There were more, less upsetting memories to be had. But Ryder was stuck in the looping one of the day his world had been blown apart. The day he had screamed and begged the Gods to save his family. They had failed him, Ryder left to wonder why beings who the temple claimed love the Drule, could allow such horrors to be inflicted upon them. He could never get an answer from any of the temple people. The priests seemed just as confused as Ryder, when faced with the question of why such a monster like Zarkon was allowed to live.

Was it any wonder his faith had been shattered so thoroughly? The very Gods his parents had raised him to believe in and love? They either didn't exist, or didn't care, abandoning Ryder. Abandoning them all, if one were to judge the state of life on planet Doom. Ryder felt if ever there was a cause for divine intervention, it should have come in the form of a celestial assassin, one who would have targeted Zarkon. Instead the cruel tyrant was flourishing, as twisted and full of life as ever. It just wasn't fair, and Ryder felt all the pain that his fourteen year old self had suffered through, the Drule letting out a vicious growl as he violently slammed his fist into the tree. Something splintered underneath it, but Ryder paid no mind.

He would have gone on ignoring what had happened, ignoring the pain of his hand for the pain of his past. Even as the tree ran slick with blood, he continued pounding it. Until suddenly SHE was there, shouting at him. Emerald eyes that were frightened and alarmed gazing into his, her trembling hands hesitating a second long enough for Ryder to hit the tree again.

"Ryder!" Alexandria cried out, seeming to flinch in response to his fist connecting with the tree. And then her hands were grabbing at his arm, trying to pull him towards her. Trying to stop his assault on the tree. It was a pure animalistic response he had, Ryder baring his fangs in the fiercest of growls. Glaring at her, the sounds he made threatening without vocalizing the words he couldn't speak. She should have stayed hidden, should have remained where it was safe in the shed. Rather than confront him when he was in this violent mood, the pain of his memories twisting his guts.

"Leave me." Ryder ordered, ready to lash out with the very arm Alexandria was holding. It was pathetic to think Alexandria believed she had the strength to stop him from hitting the tree, and yet he held himself still. Or as still as he could manage, given he was trembling with the urge to do something violent.

"I won't!" Came the priestess response. She was still pulling on his arm, trying to drag him away from the abused tree. She was either very brave, or very stupid, and Ryder wasn't sure which one he leaned towards more. And then he registered details about her, realizing she had put on her gown before coming out here. So she wasn't so foolish as to face a volatile Drule in nothing but a pair of wet panties. She got points for that bit of smarts, though Ryder still refused to give in to her urgings.

Instead he tried for a cruder method, hoping to scare her, or at the very least offend her to the point she walked away. "Have you changed your mind?" Ryder demanded. Those emerald eyes of her blinked in confusion. "Are you ready to let me fuck you?" He didn't wait for an answer, suddenly giving in to her hands' urgings. Stepping into her, grabbing her with his other hand. Kissing her.

Alexandria's lips were already wet, the light patter of rain leaving beads of water on her face. He was in no mood for gentle, Ryder unable to savor and lick away those drops. Instead he sealed his mouth over hers, a ruthless possessive kiss that held no artful expertise. He was kissing her like he meant to conquer her, thrusting his tongue inside her mouth with invading force. Swallowing up her strangled, protesting sounds.

Alexandria placed a hand on his naked chest, trying to shove him back. And yet she never let go of his arm, the one that had been pounding the tree over and over again. Ryder refused to step away, and would have kissed her harder if possible. But there was no harsher kiss than this, Ryder using bruising force against Alexandria's mouth. Tasting her, and eating up the cries she had made.

When she tried to back away, he followed, not caring if she choked on his kiss. He wanted her scared, wanted her to back off. Hell he just wanted her, even though in his current mood any attempt to take her would be violent and unrestrained. Some small part of him that was still sane hissed at him to stop. To show the priestess some care. That she deserved better than his anger, then his malicious attempt to send her running from him.

Alexandria continued to back away, Ryder moving with her. Leaving her little choice to do anything but breathe through her nose. It was either that or choke on his kiss, and Alexandria was a bright girl. Though he was surely stealing her breath away, she was adapting. Learning how to kiss and breathe at the same time. The odd dance continued, Alexandria backing up all the way to the tool shed. He felt the change in the ground, the dirt given way to smooth tile. The roof sheltering them from the soft rain.

It didn't matter, this change of surroundings. He was determined. Either to scare her away, or to have her. Either option seemed just fine to Ryder. Until a sudden pain connected to him, the sharp spike of it breaking through his anger. Alexandria had dug her nails into his hand, most likely in a last ditch effort to get him back to himself. It almost worked, Ryder pulling back with a growl.

Before he could question her, she was speaking. "You have hurt yourself!"

"It's not my hurt you should be worrying about!" Ryder snapped, his words meant to be as ominous as the look he was giving her. She ignored it, pressing against him now. Touching the hand she had just hurt, Alexandria clicking her tongue. Her touch was soft now, fingers just barely caressing over his skin. Even that hurt too much, Ryder finally glancing at his hand. He let out a string of vicious curses, Alexandria reddening in response. It didn't matter, Ryder staring fascinated at the blood coating his knuckles. He had done real damage in striking the tree over and over, to the point his skin had ripped open, bleeding heavily.

There was even a few nasty looking splinters sticking in his hand, Alexandria's fingers hesitating over the longest. "I think I saw some pliers around here." She seemed loathe to let go of his hand, as though she feared he would run back out into the rain. Run right back to hitting the tree.

His blood was getting on her hands, but Alexandria didn't seem to care. She'd actually lead him over to the work table, Ryder noting his clothes were still where he had left them. An assortment of long abandoned tools lay spread out across the table, dirty or rust covered. That same dirt was on her dress, Ryder having carelessly left her wet clothing on top of this table.

Holding onto Ryder with one hand, Alexandria would shift through the mess of tools until she found the tiny pair of pliers. "This may hurt..." She warned, and then was gripping the largest of the splinters with the pliers' tips. It was a long piece, easily pulled out when she gave a brutal yank on his hand. Ryder didn't so much as whimper, just staring at her as she worked to remove other splinters from the back of his hand.

She began to talk as she examined his hand, Alexandria surely looking to see if there wasn't a splinter hidden from her. Her touch was gentle, and avoiding his bloody knuckles, the priestess making a tsking sound. "Why would you do this to yourself?"

Ryder gave an uncaring shrug, which drew her eyes away from his hand. He found himself the attention of a concerned gaze, her green eyes looking more worried than he had ever expected her to be for him. She was also waiting for an answer, Ryder finding he didn't know what to say. "Didn't think much about it." He finally admitted.

"Didn't think much about it?" Alexandria repeated it as an exclamation. "Ryder, you could have broken your hand!"

"That would have been inconvenient." He said in response. She seemed exasperated by his nonchalant attitude, Alexandria staring at him.

"Don't you even care?" She wanted to know. "Or is your pain so great, you would rather injure yourself than deal with it?"

"Listen you..." Ryder growled, but it wasn't as angry or threatening as it had been just minutes earlier. "You know NOTHING about it."

"Then tell me!" She cried plaintively. She made a frustrated sound when he said nothing, turning her attention back to his hand. "I have worked with people." She said this softly, though his sharp hearing had no trouble making out the words. "People who have been through so much. People who have to hurt themselves in order to somehow minimize the pain they are going through. Or people who feel the only way they can feel truly alive is if they are hurting themselves..."

"And you're wondering which one I am?" Ryder demanded. She gave a nod of her head, still examining his hand. "Forget it. I'm not that easy to classify. This was a one time incident and will never be repeated." Or at least he told himself it wouldn't, though Ryder couldn't predict what would happen the next time his past reared it's ugly head in his mind.

"For your sake, I hope it won't be." Alexandria told him. Again he was surprised by her concern, the raw sincerity in her voice. Alexandria truly meant it, truly did not want Ryder to hurt himself again. He started to ask why, but she was suddenly letting of of his hand. Actually lifting her long skirt, searching out the hem which wasn't as dirty as the center of her dress was. He was almost distracted by the glimpse of her shapely legs, but then a tearing sound brought Ryder's attention back to the skirt.

Alexandria was tearing off a long strip. It didn't take much deducting on his part to figure out why. She intended to bandage his hand, to staunch the bleeding he was doing. Mute for once in his life, Ryder wordlessly watched as Alexandria began gently wrapping the cloth strips around his hand. She paid special mind to his knuckles, making sure to wrap them up the most. She made it tight enough to keep the blood from leaking onto the cloth, Alexandria looking satisfied.

"There." She said to him. "That should do for now. At least until we get back to the mansion and have Qualenn look at your hand."

"It's just a surface wound." Ryder replied. "No need to trouble the nurse..."

"Even surface wounds can become infected." Alexandria told him. "There's no telling what sort of germs and parasites were on that tree you hit."

"I'll be fine." Ryder insisted.

"Maybe your hand will be...but I am not so sure about the rest of you." He growled at that, eyes narrowing at her. She stared up at him, not cowed by his glare. "I don't know what happened in your past. But it's clear you suffer because of it."

Suffering was an understatement of what he was doing, Ryder eaten up by his own guilt. The guilt that told him in Zarkon's own voice, that it was Ryder's fault that his family had been killed. It didn't matter that Ryder hadn't pulled the trigger of the weapons that did it, that the command had cpme from Zarkon's own tongue. Ryder had signed their death warrants in hacking into places he had no business being. He almost laughed then, a bitter broken sound as Ryder thought to himself he wasn't his family's blessing but their curse.

"Ryder..." Alexandria had responded to that sound he had made, her hands touching his arms. She seemed uncaring of his nudity for once, staring concerned into his face. She was so sad for him, so worried and concerned. She had to be a bleeding hurt, a sucker for those in need. But nothing the priestess did could fix Ryder's past, his own mistakes and sins against his family. No matter how she tried, how heart felt and sincere she was in the efforts made, there was nothing she could do. Even Ryder couldn't atone for his past, even if he killed Zarkon with his bare hands. The dead stayed dead, and there was no way to change that.

"Forget it." Ryder said, and jerked away from her. She moved to follow, Ryder holding up his hand in a gesture meant to ward her off. Wisely she heeded it, Alexandria gazing at him sadly. He couldn't bear that look in her eyes, like her heart was hurting for his pain. She didn't even know the reasons behind that pain, and yet she wore such a look. So open and raw, so earnest in her desire to soothe him. Ryder suddenly felt he understood Lotor better. His reasons for not telling Allura about his own ordeals. Ryder didn't think he loved Alexandria, but his attraction was enough. To the point it bothered him to have a woman who affected him so powerfully look at him this way. It wasn't quite pity, more sympathy then anything. And he HATED her for giving him that look.

"Stop it." He growled, glaring harder at her. "Stop looking at me. Stop looking down on me."

She seemed shocked then. "I am doing no such thing! I just..."

"Just what?" He demanded snidely.

"I just want to help you." She finished softly.

He snorted in response, running his uninjured hand through his wet hair. "Save the help for someone who WANTS it."

"Sometimes what we need is not what we think we want." Alexandria countered.

"What I need is a drink." He eyed her, in the mood to be nasty. "Or a good fucking."

She didn't blush, though she seemed to cringe from his coarse language. "Those are not things I can help you with."

"Then what good are you to me?" Ryder demanded, and even then she didn't rise to the bait, remaining calm. Unaffected by his rudeness. He almost missed the quicker to anger priestess she had been just hours ago, Ryder wanting her to fight with him. To argue and hiss, rather than be this kind, eager to help woman she had become. He wondered how much more of her sympathy he could stand, if he would go mad before they could return to the mansion.

"I don't know..." Alexandria whispered. It took him aback, Ryder shocked she didn't have a quick answer to his question. "But I want to try. Ryder. No one should suffer the way you clearly are. No good person should..."

"I am not a good person." Ryder interrupted. He couldn't be, if he had gotten his own family killed.

To his frustration, Alexandria turned sadder. And all because she realized he meant it. He saw the understanding in her eyes, but it didn't turn her away from him. "I don't believe that." She said. "You can be mean, and nasty...you take pleasure in upsetting me. You're an incorrigible pervert, who is willing to lie and manipulate situations and people to suit your own needs. But if you were not a good person, you would have stayed on Doom. You would have taken pleasure in the things Zarkon does."

His lips had been trying to smirk, Ryder amused at how Alexandria had described him. Amused right up until she mentioned Zarkon. "Some evil is too twisted even for me to contemplate doing." Was his quick answer.

"I don't think you evil at all." Her tone was reassuring, Alexandria earnest. "And you know how I can think that?" His own look was wary, Alexandria pausing a beat. "Because no one truly evil can feel such pain, such suffering. Such sheer regret and loss. The true evil cares nothing for no one, it's only concern for itself. I've seen you with Lotor, with the other Drules. You care for them."

Ryder couldn't muster up a denial. Alexandria's hand pressed to her heart, her green eyes seeming to glimmer. He hoped that wet sheen didn't mean she was about to start crying, for the priestess' tears was the last thing he thought he could deal with.

"You have a good heart."

"This kind of talk is nauseating." Ryder retorted. And yet he didn't turn his back on her, wary of her. It was as though he feared she'd try to touch him again, Ryder wondering what he feared more. That he would grab and kiss her again, or become undone by her kind touch. Either option was horrifying, for Ryder knew this time whatever happened he wouldn't stop. It would be embarrassing to lose control, to become a sniveling, screaming mess. Even worse would be if he fell on her, intent on using her to bury the pain of what he was feeling temporarily inside her body.

Always in a half aroused state around Alexandria, Ryder knew it would be easy to let his desires take control. But in this moment it wouldn't be satisfying, his private pain too fresh in his mind. He wondered what look Alexandria would wear, if she would gaze wounded up at him as he went wild on her. Or would that damn sympathetic look remain, Alexandria enduring anything he did to her all in some misguided attempt to heal him.

She must have read the danger in his expression, the priestess maintaining her distance. To keep them both safe, Ryder actually retreated, putting the work table between them. It wasn't much of a barrier, a Drule able to leap over such a thing with ease. But the illusion it gave them was comforting, Ryder touching the dirty surface. He should probably put his clothes on, the rain outside less than it had been, the sky turning dark with the approaching evening. It would get cold, and neither he nor Alexandria was dressed for such weather.

The search party, if there was one, really needed to hurry up and find them. And not just so that they wouldn't freeze to death! There was too much trouble awaiting them inside this tool shed, too much emotions running wild between them. It was a recipe for disaster, hers and his, Ryder worrying he'd do something he'd regret if Alexandria kept trying to heal him.

And yet he didn't know how to stop her, all his angry looks and threatening vibes seeming to have little effect on the priestess. She was no longer so nervous, foolishly ignoring the signs that screamed she should fear him.

"You're not very smart." He said meanly, though inside he didn't mean the insult. "You don't know enough to leave well enough alone."

"Not all things can heal, if left alone." She pointed out.

"Some wounds are impossible to heal." Ryder countered.

"Those are the worse kind." Alexandria said. "If one can't heal, one will usually fall into decay, die..."

"Not gonna die." Ryder retorted. "Not from this."

"But you can't be truly happy either, can you?" She asked. "Not so long as you haven't worked through your pain. Not so long as it keeps haunting you."

"Most days I don't think about it at all." Ryder reached for his pants, intent on putting them on.

"Ignoring it won't make it go away."

"Nothing will do that." Ryder countered, stepping into the leather. "Just gotta accept, it's a part of me. For good and bad, it's molded me into who I am."

"Facing it, healing from it, won't change who you are." Alexandria insisted. "There's no wrong in moving on from it."

He jerked up the zipper of his fly, his words and actions angry. "There is no way I could ever move on from what happened!" Part of him recognize there was fear in the thought of moving on. As though he might somehow further dishonor his family, in going on to live a normal life of his own. He wouldn't ever be free of the guilt, or the pain. And maybe a part of him liked it that way.

Kinda abrupt ending maybe. But this was a chapter that did NOT want to end! I was getting real frustrated, and it felt like this chapter could go on to 60 KB in size, and they would just talk in circles about what Ryder doesn't want to face. What he's not ready to even try to heal from. X_X Also, I thought this chapter would be different. I thought the search party would come, and they would get taken back to the mansion. But clearly this was long enough, and at this point it felt like it would be too convenient to have the search party suddenly show up. So I'm hoping next chapter (Which is a Lotor or Allura POV) will have a mention that the pair is finally brought back to the mansion. X_X

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Wade Wells, thanks! I can't recall what the last review I replied to was, so excuse me if I'm repeating myself. ^^;; Yes. Ryder has wanted her from first sight. Heh...kinda like how Lotor wanted Allura from the first instant he saw her. They're all so bad, falling so hard with one look! XD Course where Lotor embraced his feelings for Allura, Ryder spends most of the time angry about his feelings for Alexandria. XD

Heh, I have a friend who likes both Lotor and Keith, and I remember her in the past saying the shot of Keith in black lion with his legs spread? Think he's reaching for a lever or something...that's the shot that really makes her go wild! Sorry I've been so slow...and I have been slow...but I'm having pain problems, they diagnosed me with sciolisis. Sometimes I can't concentrate enough to write now. It SUCKS. _

Lena, hello! Eventually...but slowly. As I mentioned to Wade Wells, I've slowed down considerably due to a health issue. =/


	36. Chapter 36

Carrying a tray that had warm drinks and a platter of fruit on it, Lotor used his hip to push open the door. A sapphire gaze was turned his way, Allura's eyes still gleaming with unshed tears. He almost frowned to see that, Lotor not understanding the reason behind Allura's upset. Vorlac was after all fine, if a little beaten up at the moment. The man would survive, a broken leg the worst of his injuries.

"It's all right." Lotor said out loud, his tone reassuring. "Vorlac will be just fine."

"Has there been any change?" Allura asked, rising to stand. She would approach him, hands reaching for the tray he carried. He'd let her take it from him, Lotor thinking Allura might want to keep busy with even the smallest of tasks.

"Vorlac's awake now." Lotor told her, letting the door fall close behind him. "He's not exactly thrilled with what happened to his leg. No doubt Qualenn will have her hands full with consoling him." Lotor let out a chuckle, though it was a forced sound. "Drule males aren't known for being the best of patients."

"I didn't know that." Allura admitted, setting down the tray on a low to the floor glass table. Her shoulders seemed to sag, Allura's gaze staying lowered. "There's a lot I don't know about the Drules."

"You can change that." Lotor assured her. "All you have to do is ask. Take the time to get to know us."

"I will." But it was obvious she was still troubled, fingers picking up a round red fruit. Playing with it, rather than eating it. He wasn't sure what to do, what to say. Allura wasn't being forthcoming about her upset. But Lotor was pretty sure Vorlac's accident wasn't the sole cause for Allura's tears. She was too upset, too unsettled for someone who wasn't yet her friend.

He didn't know how to find out what was bothering her so. Not without a whole lot of picking and prying. He feared any attempt to do that, would cause Allura to break down and given in to the tears she was fighting to hold back. And he didn't want that. Nor did he want to ignore the problem completely, Lotor hoping Allura would open up and talk to him of her own accord.

He sat down besides her, but made no move to take anything off the tray. Allura still made no attempt to eat the fruit, just turning it round and round in her hand. Outside the barred windows, it was growing dark. And with nightfall, it would grow cold. At least it had finally stopped raining! Even hours later, Lotor still felt the chill of the sudden storm. A chill that had little to do with how cold the water had been, and everything to do with the accident that had followed. They had been lucky that no one else had been hurt besides Vorlac. But Ryder and Alexandria were still missing.

A search party had been sent out to find them. Neither Ryder nor the priestess had been dressed to weather the night's cold. Lotor could only hope that freezing was the only problem they faced, the prince not wanting to imagine something worse had happened. Given how the Nerianes had reacted to the sound of the thunder, Lotor felt the odds were in favor of the mount the pair had ridden going just as berserk as Vorlac's own had done.

He almost sighed then. He didn't want to further worry Allura with that sound, Lotor at last reaching for one of the cups. It was warm wine contained inside it, Lotor trying not to make a face in complaint. Warm wine was better than no wine, as far as he was concerned.

He would sit there, savoring the taste of the wine. Warm though it was, it still held it's bitter sweet taste. One glass wasn't enough to get him drunk, though Lotor was careful to keep from drinking any more. He couldn't trust what he would say and do around Allura, how he might act the pushy, amorous, love sick fool. He had to retain his wits about him, and not just to keep from alienating Allura with unwanted advances. He feared too much wine and he would reveal all to her, paint her a vivid picture of all he had endured in the name of his love for her.

He still hadn't had a chance to have Qualenn and the doctor look over his stitches. With Vorlac's accident, and Allura's subsequent reaction to it, there had been no time. Lotor had preferred to sit with Allura, and comfort her as best he could rather than distract the limited medical staff from tending to Vorlac's injuries. The man had been pretty cut up, the Nerianes' hooves lashing out, lacerating his arms as Vorlac had brought them up to guard his face.

In the end, they had had to shoot that particular beast. The Nerianes hadn't been calming down, seeming determined to do more than just break Vorlac's bones. It's reactions had been frightening the other beasts, Lotor struggling to keep his from throwing him from it's back. Even as he and the others fought to get their mounts under control, one of the men, a Drule named Lasindas was sliding off his ride's back. He hadn't even bothered to hold onto the reins, letting that particular Nerianes run off as he took aim at the animal threatening Vorlac.

They had moved pretty quickly after that, working together to move the dead Nerianes off of Vorlac's leg. It was the weight of the beast, landing on Vorlac that had broken the bone. Lotor had done what he could to make Vorlac comfortable, kneeling down in the grass as he worked to try and stop the bleeding. Lasindas had helped him, while another, Turopic, had taken the sole remaining Nerianes, and ridden it back to the mansion.

It had been a risky thing Turopic had done, the Nerianes no longer tame but made wild because of the storm. But they had needed help, especially for Vorlac. Lotor was grateful nothing worse had happened to the man, and could only hope the same thing would prove true for Ryder and the priestess. No one knew for certain where they were, but they knew there were out there without a ride. The Nerianes they had taken had returned to the stables, dirty and wild eyed and looking for it's daily feed.

Lotor wished he had known about how the Nerianes reacted to loud sounds. But it had been years since he had been on Simestia, and his memories were distorted so that he remembered the nightmares of Zarkon's abuse more clearly than anything else. If anything pleasant or fun had happened on Simestia, he had forgotten about it. The good memories were simply overpowered by the bad.

But he didn't want to think about that. Didn't want nor need to get upset by wasting his thoughts on Zarkon and his past. Lotor would much rather look to the future. A future he intended to share with Allura. A future that even now he was working on, Lotor feeling hopeful that Allura sat besides him. His hope seemed to build, the more Allura came to accept the Drules. If she could accept that they weren't all evil, then she could accept anything. Including Lotor's love!

He gave her a sidelong glance, Allura still playing with the red fruit. Her eyes still shone with her upset, her gaze distant as she stared down at the fruit in her hands. It was clear to Lotor she wasn't much aware of what she was doing with it, the girl more intent on whatever thoughts she was having. He wasn't sure he should intrude on them, but more than that Lotor was unsure of what to say to her in this moment. They hadn't had much of a real conversation, at least not one who didn't lead to Allura challenging him to return to Doom. Pushing him to face his abuser.

Once he would have done just that, Lotor having dreamt of the day he would kill Zarkon. But that was long ago, before he had realized how much he had to lose, if he failed to kill his tormentor. Allura would be in danger, and so would so many of his friends and associates. Lotor didn't care if Zarkon killed him, but one thing the prince couldn't abide by was the thought of the others suffering because of him.

But he couldn't save everyone. It frustrated him to have to leave so many behind on Doom. To let so many of his people continue to suffer under Zarkon's rule. But what was worse? To condemn everyone, or to save a few? It came down to a choice, and Lotor's was to save those he could. He wished it could be different, but Lotor was nowhere near ready to believe in Allura's dreams. In her hopes and ambitions to save all of the Denubian Galaxy from the tyrant, King Zarkon.

Now he really did want to give into that sigh, Lotor knowing he and Allura would never see eye to eye on this. It made him brood, the prince drinking down the last of his wine and wishing he could have some more. He wouldn't, but it didn't mean he couldn't hope for another glass.

In the end, it was Allura who broke the silence between them. Her fingers would clench around the fruit, bruising it's delicate skin in the process. She'd keep on staring at it, but her gaze was no longer unfocused. "Lotor...earlier...you had a lot of blood on your clothes..."

He had changed since then, putting on new shirt and pants. His other shirt had been so bloody, he didn't think it was worth trying to clean. But the pants were salvageable. "Yes, I did." Lotor said in reply to Allura's comment. She seemed to be waiting for him to say something more, the bruised fruit starting to turn in her hands once more. "When the accident happened, Vorlac bled heavily. I knelt over him, using what little field training I had to tend to his wounds."

She looked towards him then, a spark of interest in her eyes. "You've had training as a medic?"

"Not a lot...not as much as I could." Lotor admitted. "But I do know some basic skills, ways to address wounds and keep a comrade from bleeding out on the field before the real doctors can get to him."

She seemed to be processing that. "I thought..." She lowered her eyes, as though Allura was ashamed by what she was about to say. "Well...I didn't think you would know how to save people."

He could guess at what she meant by that, Allura having assumed for the longest time he was just a cold blooded killer. "For the longest time I didn't." Lotor told her. "I couldn't even save myself or my mother. What chance did I stand at saving another?"

"And yet you still learned the skills you needed..." Allura pointed out.

"Not without a few hard lessons first."

"You've had a lot of those haven't you?" She seem flustered at the look he gave her, Allura suddenly shaking her head no. "Tell me about it. That which motivated you. That which got you thinking, willing to try saving another?"

He was quiet a moment, just shifting through his memories. "I saw too many people dying around me." Lotor finally said. "Too many lost to wounds that didn't have to be fatal...they bled out, or succumb to infection long before someone with the proper training could tend to them." He sighed then. "I didn't always know the people who died. Sometimes I didn't even know their name, just their rank. There was too many soldiers to keep track of, and always more to replace the ones who are lost. It gets easy to be lost in the shuffle, to be forgotten."

He set down his cup, then leaned back against the couch's cushions. "The Drule military academy is more concerned with making soldiers than teaching us other skills. Hell, for those who can't afford more than a few weeks of schooling, they are ill prepared for the true horrors and rigors of war. They're little more than cannon fodder, sent out to die on the battlefield. Of course, sometimes it doesn't matter how much training you've had...one lucky shot from the other side, and you too could end up dead..."

He almost could hear the laser fire, hear the explosions of photon beams crashing into ships. Smell the smoke, and choke on it. Back then there had been one too many close calls, death waiting at every turn. But Lotor had wanted to live, to thrive and be something more than Zarkon's punching bag. He hadn't yet had much of a reason beyond that. It would still be years before he saw and fell in love with Allura of Arus. But Lotor had always felt something was waiting for him, some bright and better future than the life he had had then.

"Lotor?" Allura's concerned gaze was on him, the girl touching his hand. She drew him out of the potent memories, Lotor giving her a bland smile.

"I was in a better position than many. My ties to the King allowed me greater pull than most. I used my connections, and insisted on learning from those who had training in the medic's field. I can't say I have a talent for that kind of thing. I'm better at fighting and coming up with tactics. But there were other Drules under my command who did have the skill, and the eagerness to learn. I can't say Zarkon was pleased those weeks we took off to learn how to play nurse..." But he had been too far out of Zarkon's reach for the King to lay a hand on Lotor.

Another smile, this one proud. "But when he saw the results, how less soldiers were dying, morale increasing, more worlds being captured as a result...he grudgingly let this slide. He didn't make changes to the Academy's curriculum, but he didn't forbid those of us who know how to dress wounds, from teaching others the same. Provided we did it in our spare time."

"Which you did...?" It was more question that statement, Lotor nodding in response.

"How could I be so selfish as to keep such knowledge to myself? I passed it on to any willing to learn. And believe me there was many. Some who I dare say hoped to leave the soldiers' life behind and become a doctor once they saved enough money to further their own education." His expression darkened there, remembering not many of those who had shared that dream with him, had survived the wars that had followed.

"It was tough..." Allura acknowledged. "Trying to save up enough money to not only take care of their families, but to maybe get an education so they could do something besides fight..."

"It was tough just staying alive long enough to earn those wages." Lotor told her. "Zarkon doesn't care. Throw enough soldiers at a problem, and eventually a solution will happen. Even if thousands, no millions have to die..."

"Like Arus...?"

"Well...yes. The invasion attempts on Arus, the fights against Voltron? Those are responsible for the single most loss of Drule lives in the history of the Doom Empire. But Zarkon is adamant that all is takes is one win on Doom's side, for Arus to fall. For Arus to be worth all the lives lost, the resources spent on subduing your world and people." Lotor scowled then. "Zarkon doesn't take well to defeat. He keeps coming, keeps attacking, until he has what he wants or destroys it."

"He has to be stopped..." Allura said, but her tone wasn't quite so fierce as it had been when previously discussing putting an end to Zarkon's reign. Lotor inwardly suppressed a sigh, not wanting to get into another endless discussion about why they should or should not return to Doom.

"That he does." Lotor softly agreed. "But it won't be us that does it."

"Doesn't it frustrate you?" Allura asked. "Doesn't it drive you mad to know he still lives. That he still sits on the throne, terrorizing your people? That through his actions, he forces the Drule into roles of monsters, letting the rest of the galaxy believe the worst of them?"

"Of course it does!" Lotor snapped back, tone more harsh than he wanted. "It's not right. Not any of it. But what else can I do?" He ran a hand through his hair, the action speaking volumes of his agitation. "There's no way to stop him. No way to get close enough to take him out. Not without him killing a lot of people first."

"People will die either way..." Allura seemed loathe to point that out. "But if Zarkon were to be killed sooner instead of later, we would minimize the amount of people that had to die...Lotor, you have to realize...many more will die so long as Zarkon lives and keeps his iron grip on the Empire's throne."

Damn, but he could acknowledge Allura was right about that point. More people would die, and the unlucky ones would suffer for Zarkon's twisted brand of amusement first. The King would keep on attacking, finding new worlds to invade once Arus fell. Would even the whole of the Denubian Galaxy be enough for Zarkon's greed and ambition? Or would he turn his eye elsewhere in his endless quest for power?

It was unsettling thoughts, ones Lotor didn't want to examine too closely. He wanted to hold onto the dream that going to a different galaxy would leave them free of Zarkon's grasp, save them from his abuse. But there was no guarantee of that. It could be years before it happened, but one day Zarkon might set his eyes elsewhere. What would they do then? Lotor didn't know, not liking the thought of always being on the run. But something inside him wasn't ready to embrace the ideas Allura had. The idea of the Drules uniting with the Galaxy Alliance, working together with Voltron and Garrison to storm Doom and take down Zarkon.

"I admire you for your ideals Allura...but I don't think you've thought it through, the chances for the Alliance and Garrison actually wanting to team up with the Drule..." Lotor abruptly stood, needing to distance himself from Allura. To turn his back on that imploring gaze of hers. "There is too much hatred and animosity between our worlds...too many people fear the Drule."

"Yes, but it's because they don't know what has been happening to the Drule!" Allura quickly pointed out.

Lotor walked over to one of the room's windows, staring out between the bars. "They haven't wanted to know." Lotor retorted. "They haven't bothered to find out the truth. No one has. No one has cared to try."

That was one thing Allura couldn't deny, the girl sounding frustrated. "Zarkon hasn't made it easy for us on that point. He's helped to seed and grow the fear of your people. He's turned the Drule into an enemy that needs to be vanquished. But we can't let people go on thinking that. We have to do what we can to get the truth out." He didn't turn to look at her, though Lotor heard Allura's movements. "Lotor, please!"

"Please what?" He all but hissed, turning to glare at her. "Do you really think any of this will change things? Will make things better for the Drule?"

"Yes, of course I think that way! After all, when I found out the truth, I was able to correct my way of thinking."

He couldn't even smile then without it being bitter. "But not everyone is like you, Allura. Not everyone is as kind and forgiving as you are."

For one-second it looked as though he had succeeded in stumping her, Allura having no quick retort for him. She blinked several times in rapid succession, Lotor fearing she was about to start crying. He made a move to step towards her, as though Lotor could ward off Allura's tears. And then she spoke, almost angry then. "Not everyone is...but that doesn't mean there aren't people who are! You do yourself and your people a great disservice in denying them this chance!"

Just like that he froze in place, all desire to comfort her leaving him. She seemed to realize she had went too far with her words, some of Allura's anger leaving her. "Lotor..."

"You still see things in absolutes, don't you?" Lotor asked her. "Your world is still so black and white that you think others will follow suit. That others will be like you and want to help the Drule even after all we've had to do under Zarkon's rule."

"Why wouldn't they want to help those who have been oppressed? If they know that the Drules did not want to do those things, that many had no choice but to do as their King commanded or die? The people of the Denubian Galaxy can't be that cruel, can't be that malicious. They will acknowledge what the Drule have been through and then..."

"You believe in the best of people." He gave the faintest of smiles to show he meant it as praise. "Even after all you've been through. All your world has suffered. But not everyone can put aside their negativity, their grudges. Especially not that easily. Not after all my people have had to do under Zarkon's commands. Allura, we've enslaved whole worlds, and killed millions more. Doom had been relentless. At any single point in time, fighting over a dozen wars at once. Under Zarkon's rule, we've destroyed whole civilizations, used up planets' resources. There's been very little good to come out of the Drule occupying a captured world. There's a reason why we are the monsters that the rest of the Denubian Galaxy fears."

"Yes...but...if they knew..." She sounded unsure then, and looked frustrated by it.

"It would take time to heal the rift between the worlds and Doom." Lotor continued. "It would be a huge undertaking, just to try that. Let alone to unite the worlds with the common purpose of fighting to free the Drules from Zarkon's twisted rule."

"I'm willing to take that time..."

"We would all be in danger." Lotor harshly pointed out. "Every minute working against us. Time would be in Zarkon's favor. He'd send people after us, to capture and torture, even kill us. Taking out any and all of our allies. He'd leave us weak and fighting amongst ourselves. Especially with the few people who would willingly advocate for the Drule now dead."

"You're wanting me to see it as hopeless." Allura frowned at him. "But I won't! I'll keep holding onto my beliefs, my hopes. To do otherwise is to give in to Zarkon completely. To let him win! And as long as you run from him, you gain no real victory. He still possesses power over you...only you can't seem to see that!"

He brought his fingers to pinch the bridge of his nose. He felt Allura's exasperation, even if it was caused by different things for them both. "I'm doing what I can to be safe. And not just me, but the people around me. Can you honestly say you want me to put them back in Zarkon's reach? To see people like Vorlac and Qualenn suffer?"

"No...no...I understand they've been through enough." Allura said. "We all have. But I don't see how they or you, can get any closure so long as Zarkon is free to continue his reign of terror!"

"Real life doesn't always end like the stories. Villains don't always pay, and the good people don't always get their happy endings. Sometimes they have to settle for doing what they can just to survive!"

"But can you live with just that?" Allura asked. Damn her, but he didn't know, an uncertain feeling festering inside him. Deep down inside, Lotor knew it wasn't right that Zarkon continued to live. That he continued to be in a position where he could do the most damage, hurting Drule and human alike. Lotor felt as though he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, trapped helpless as he watched Zarkon continue to have his way.

"I'll have to." Lotor said out loud, tone stubborn. It earned a loud, exasperated sigh from Allura. And with that sigh, her body seemed to sag, Allura dropping down onto a chair. She'd bring her hands up to cover her face, but she wasn't crying. She just seemed so tired in the moment, as though Lotor had truly defeated her. He didn't know what he hoped for in the moment, save he wished for this discussion to be at an end.

"Are some things really that impossible to heal from?" She finally asked, lowering her hands. She looked ready to weep, as though her frustrations and tiredness had driven her to that point. She looked exhausted, as though trying to convince him had drained Allura of all her energies. He hated seeing her that weary, Lotor moving towards her. Dropping to kneel down before her.

"Sometimes it seems that way." Lotor finally said. He gazed up at her, his hands resting besides hers on the arm rests of the chair. A shift from either one of them would have their hands touching, but the two of them remained still. Just staring at one another. He could see the sorrow in Allura's eyes, the frustration that led to a single tear slipping down her cheek. Lotor lifted a hand to that cheek, using his thumb to brush over the tear's trail. He didn't do anything like tell Allura not to cry. And save for that one tear, no more fell.

"It's different for everyone." Lotor added. "Some people can bounce back more easily from pain. While others have suffered so much, they seem hopelessly trapped in their pain."

"Maybe those who feel trapped, need someone else to guide them out of it..." Allura suggested. "Maybe they're crying out for help, and don't even realize it..."

Her words struck a resonance inside him, Lotor wondering if he was like that. So trapped in his pain, in the past's torments, that he couldn't get out on his own. That he didn't know for sure bothered him, Lotor preferring to think he was taking actions to help himself. He had known he couldn't remain within Zarkon's reach. The tyrant had been ready to kill him, no longer content to just beat Lotor for his perceived failures. Zarkon had wanted results, and the kind of results the King wanted was things Lotor wasn't prepared to give him. Not if it meant Allura would be broken, even killed. Her world enslaved. To let Zarkon get his hands on Allura after all Lotor's endeavors to keep her free of such harm? It would have made a mockery of everything Lotor had done, all the sacrifices he had endured.

He had removed himself from Zarkon's reach, from the man's very notice. As far as the King was concerned, Lotor was dead. And yet he still had power over Lotor, the past and it's torments holding the prince back. Keeping him from acting a way that would make Allura proud. She wanted him to go back to Doom, to fight to free his people, to face Zarkon, even kill him. But there was something holding Lotor back, the prince remembering similar attempts in the past. How he had failed to come even close to laying a hand on Zarkon. Even worse was the thought of all the people who would pay should Lotor fail this time, Allura, Ryder, Tesla, and so many other faces coming to him now. How could he endanger them? And yet how could he turn his back on all of the Doom Empire? It made him feel selfish, even as Lotor was trying to do his best. To do what he could to ensure some people could survive, escape from Zarkon's reach.

Lotor wished things were different. Wished he was a stronger man. But Lotor like so many others on Doom, had been victims of Zarkon's abuse for too long. Rather than condition him into a monster that rivaled Zarkon, it had made him something else. Some tormented soul that thought himself too weak to make a true difference. For his own people or the galaxy at large, which is why Lotor took the steps needed to remove Allura from danger. Whether he ran away, or died by Zarkon's hand, Lotor knew she would have been next on the King's list to suffer.

"I'm sorry." Lotor said out loud, resting his head on her knees. "I know you don't agree with my methods. But I have to do what I can to keep you safe..."

"You've been doing that for a long time haven't you?" Allura's tone was quiet, Lotor almost flinching when her fingers touched his hair. He calmed down when he realized she didn't mean to push him away. Instead Allura's fingers were gentle, stroking over his mane of white hair in a soothing manner. "Keeping me safe...?"

"Always." Lotor kept his cheek pressed against her knees, his eyes partially closed as he enjoyed the way she ran her fingers through his hair. "No matter the consequence, I knew the one thing I could not tolerate was if something happened to you. If that monster's cruelty was turned on you." It would have devastated him to allow Allura to fall into Zarkon's hands. That might have been the final straw towards ruining Lotor's own fragile psyche.

"Thank you." Allura said it softly, Lotor's eyes snapping open in surprise. Gratitude was the last thing he had expected from her, the prince not thinking Allura properly understood all he had done, the risks he had taken, the punishments he had endured.

"I didn't do it for your thanks..." Lotor told her, Allura's fingers stilling on his scalp.

"Then why did you do it?" She asked, and he smiled then.

"I did it because I had to. Because I could not live with myself if something bad were to happen to you." He looked up at her, lifting his head off her knees. "Isn't that what one does, what one feels, for the person they love?" He frowned when he saw the tears falling, for making her cry was the last thing Lotor had wanted to do!

"I'm sorry..." She said in between sniffles, her hands brushing angrily at her eyes. "I don't know what's wrong with me today."

Lotor didn't know either, just knowing she had been emotional for hours now. But the words she had just said, proved she wasn't ready to share the source of her upset, Allura content to feign ignorance on that front. He felt a little frustrated, knowing he couldn't help her with her upset if Allura didn't talk to him about the cause. Nor could he bear the sight of her tears, Lotor rising to his feet. Reaching for her, pulling an unresisting Allura out of the chair.

"Shh..." He crooned softly, holding her against him. She hesitated a moment, before curling her fists on the front of his shirt. She wasn't returning the hug, but neither was she as stiff and resistant as she had once been to being embraced by him. It was a kind of progress, though Lotor didn't dwell on what it meant. He knew they had a long way to go, before Allura could work through her own hangs ups about being touched by him.

At least she wasn't panicking, though Lotor could hardly say Allura was relaxed in his embrace. He kept her close, but made sure his arms were holding her in an easy to break free of manner, Lotor not wanting her to feel trapped by him. He rested his chin on the top of her head, letting out a low voiced purr in an attempt to distract her from her upset. It seemed to work, Allura letting out one last sniffle before looking up at him.

"You sound like a satisfied house cat."

"I'm much bigger than a house cat." Came his retort, Lotor grinning. "And I'm much wilder than one too." She seemed to be looking at his fangs, as though she needed the reminder that he could be very dangerous if he so chose.

"So I've noticed." She didn't shiver, but Allura did step back from him. As though she needed to distance herself from that which could prove dangerous to her. He'd never really harm her, and felt frustrated to think Allura might not understand that. But he also remembered how he had talked and treated her those moments as they traveled from Kirentya to Simestia. He had been half delirious with fever, and it had made him say some crazy, down right threatening things. It was a wonder Allura wasn't more scared of him than she was, given how often he had talked about them becoming intimate like lovers.

Lotor had almost ruined everything with talk like that. And yet he couldn't behave entirely around her, especially at night. Especially when he finally had the chance to hold her. He'd keep on holding her when they slept, even once the mansion's wiring was repaired. She soothed something inside him, kept the nightmares at bay with her nearness.

Maybe someday the time would come when he wouldn't need Allura to fend off the nightmares. But he wouldn't stop needing her in different ways, longing for her, desiring her. Some of that yearning must have shown on his face, for Allura turned nervous. She'd actually back up another step, and a third one would have her bumping into the chair. She retained her balance but just barely, Allura turning red faced as she watched him.

Lotor should probably apologize for some of the things he had said and done. He knew enough to know his actions had fed into her panic on the ship, and even partly on Simestia. "Allura, for what it's worth, I am sorry."

"Sorry?"

"For back on the ship. For my behavior. It...it doesn't excuse it, but I was half out of it from my illness. I said and did things I shouldn't have...I scared you, and for that I am sorry." He didn't quite sigh. "I can't hide that I want you. That I am eager for you to feel the same love and desires I feel. But I was pushing you for more than you were ready to give."

Allura looked as though she didn't know what to say to that, the silence stretching out between them. "I can't deny I was frightened." She finally admitted. "But I am beginning to see you are not the man I always thought you to be. That you won't hurt me in that way."

"I won't, I promise!" Lotor stepped towards her, a fist against his chest. She looked wide eyed and startled by his sudden movement, Lotor becoming sheepish. "Sorry..."

"You don't have to keep apologizing." She told him. Allura didn't quite smile as she said that. "I'm just a little jumpy tonight. The storm has gotten all of us nervous."

"The Nerianes were the worst of all." Muttered Lotor. "I'm glad you turned down the chance to go riding. It was bad enough with Vorlac getting hurt."

"Yes, I know." She sighed. "We were all so scared when word came that there had been an accident...I am just glad Vorlac wasn't hurt worse than he has been!"

"That makes two of us." Lotor agreed. From the window, sound came. The low hum of a cruiser's engines. Allura recognized that sound as well, doing a quick glance towards the window.

"Looks like the search party is back."

A few seconds later, voices would be heard. And above them all was the welcome sound of Ryder's voice, the Drule seeming agitated, almost angry. Allura and Lotor would exchange looks, an unspoken agreement hurrying them out of the room.

This was a horrible chapter to write. I want to thank Heza, TenJP, Megs and anyone else who listened to my bitching, flailing, and freaking out. And put up with it all. I'm glad to have this chapter over and done with, though the search party scene didn't go as into detail as I wanted for their return. But I wanted this chapter OVER with! X_X

I'm also hitting myself hard in the doubts corner. I don't know why...guess it's the way my mind is wired. I worry way too much over my fics...and I started stressing over what to do. I guess I'm worrying over what reader's reactions will be to them staying on Simestia for a while. That's been my plan all along. Some major stuff will take place there (And not just with the relationships!) eventually...but I guess I started worrying it would be dumb to have them stay on the planet. However, if they were to leave now, Alexandria and Ryder would never happen, since I can't convince myself of a believeable reason as to why she would leave the planet at this point in the fic. So I am sticking to my original plans...I just really stressed myself out there. -_-

I also have a lot of doubts about THIS chapter...almost considering trashing it to rewrite it. ALMOST! I also started next chapter, which is a Ryder POV. I don't have a lot, and my brain shut down (probably due to doubts) after a certain line where one guy said about Ryder something like, "Some Drules only respond to violence." *face palms over getting stuck.* My goal for the next chapters is, a Ryder POV, then a Mara POV with the chapter after that. Mara chapters sometimes give me trouble, cause I feel I am so limited until they get to Arus. Which should be soon. *Still shakes fist over difficulties in what to have happen on the ride to Arus*

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Wade Wells, hello! AH man I hate when there's some kind of error when writing a review. I always try to type my own reviews in a seperate window, so if a problem happens I don't lose it! XD I'm glad you like the fic enough to review even after losing the first attempt! *Hugs*

I'm glad you were so caught up by the story of Ryder's past. I'm pretty happy with how I wrote that chapter too! And maybe now you see why I was so upset/disastisfied over that earlier chapter where Ryder and Lotor talked. I knew I had all that stuff about Ryder's past to convey and yet somehow I couldn't write the earlier scene that touched briefly on the academy days to my satisfaction. I know, I know...too hard on myself. *gets spanked*

A soaked Ryder is yummy, with or without clothes! Alex being able to control herself...well I bet she admired the view! Ha ha! But she also respected the dangerous mood he was in enough to know she might end up on her back. *dies at the thought* I want to do some kind of scenes where the guys in this fic, and the girls, go out drinking seperately, lamenting their love lives, problems. But I don't know if that will actually be possible. *pouts* And thanks!

Viciously Witty, thank you! On both the chapter and the health thing. The back's still an issue, but I feel better that I was able to write a little more than I have been for the month of May! *parties* As for Ryder...oh man...the poor damaged guy. *pets him* I've got some scenes in mind, but it's a matter of writing that far. I get impatient to get to certain scenes, but have to satisfy myself with notes until the fic gets to those points. Thanks again!

Luna de Papel, hello and thank you! I'm happy you tried this one, and you stuck with it through the begginning chapters. Maybe I'm being too hard on myself, but I worry the earlier chapters aren't as good as the later ones. I really struggled to find my stride early on...and worry it shows. Luckily some hand holding from friends (especially Megs and TenJp) kept me encouraged to keep writing through all my upset and paranoia over the fic. (I had this paranoia that this was a stupid idea, or that it was a good idea but I was messing it up big time.)

And yay! So happy you like my OCs, especially Ryder! Though I can imagine Lotor pouting about the attention being taken away from him. XD But I'm always thrilled to hear if people liked Ryder! (And Sabbath since these two Drules are like my beloved OCs!)


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